The Return of a Prince
by Revan the Edgelord
Summary: On HIATUS until further notice, and as for why, it's because I'm working on my original fic. However, that doesn't mean I'll no longer be working on this story. I plan on gradually writing the chapters for Prince and then sixth months from now do a massive update, and release multiple chapters.
1. A Prince's Return

**(Revan's AN): Here it is, I'm trying to update everything.**

 **Full Summary:** Tatsumi Seika, the second son of Kaito Seika, was a rebellious child. Unlike his siblings, he didn't care about the duties of a prince, and after being told that he was going to marry some noblewoman, he ran away from home. Now, after five years of being away, Tatsumi has finally returned.

 **Non-canon, single-pairing, OOC Characters.**

* * *

 _"Flashbacks" -_ **Thinking**

"Flashbacks" - _**Talking**_

 _[Flashbacks]_ **\- Letters or Reports.**

 **Theme Song: Rise, by The Glitch Mob, Mako, and The Word Alive.**

 **Main Writer:** Revan's Stories

 **Co-Writer:** None.

* * *

Standing on the prow of a small ship with a triangular sail was a man of average height who's name was Tatsumi, Tatsumi Seika. He had medium length brown hair and emerald green eyes.

He wore an assassin's coat, which was black in color with dark sage green around the sides and in the inside of the hood. He was wearing brown leather braces, and brown leather boots to match them. He wore a half cloak and had coiled it around his neck a few times to conceal the gorget he wore. To keep the cloak from unwrapping itself and in place, Tatsumi wore a reinforced spaulder. Underneath his robes was a brown jerkin and wrapped around his waist was a crimson colored sash. His pants were black and stuffed neatly into his boots.

In his right hand was a dark steely staff like spear. The shaft of the weapon was made by the bones of a super-class danger beast, thus making it incredibly durable. On one end of it had a blade that was bisected down the center and on the other end of it had a crimson orb that was secured by four dragon-like talons. The weapon was for sure intimidating, and unique when it came to its appearance.

He had a bird on his left shoulder, a Gyrfalcon to be exact named Falco.

The ship he was on was called the Heron, and the passengers usually are supposed to wait below deck until they arrived at their destination, but since it was only Tatsumi, and two of his comrades that had hired the ship, the captain decided to make an exception.

The reason why the captain made an exception was because Tatsumi threw in another bag of gold.

He didn't need to do that, but Tatsumi wanted to enjoy the view, so he threw it in. After all, this was probably going to be the last time he sees the ocean.

"Geez Tatsumi, you standing out here at night kind of creeps me out a little." Came a male's voice from behind him causing him to look over his right shoulder.

The man was a few inches taller than Tatsumi and had dark green hair. He was wearing a simple and loose white shirt with brown pants that went to his calves and a pair of sandals.

"Apologies, but I like the view," Tatsumi said as he looked back to the ocean. "and from what the Captain said, we'll be arriving at the city Lavadan soon."

"Yeah, but you're wearing your armor, and it gives me the vibe that you're like some evil prince returning home to claim the throne for himself and plunge the kingdom into years of darkness and terror." He stated with a small chuckle.

"We both know that is far from the truth and the reason why I'm wearing my armor is because I don't find the ocean to be a very friendly place." Came Tatsumi's response.

"Didn't you just say that you like the view?" The man said with a frown as he scratched the side of his head in a confused manner.

"I do, but that doesn't mean that the ocean is a place where you can let your guard down," Tatsumi affirmed as he continued to stare off into the large body of water. "it's still a dangerous place."

"... I'm just going to go back to bed. I recommend you do the same Tatsumi. We still have quite a ways to go before we reach the Northern Kingdom." He said after a few seconds of silence.

"I'll probably join you guys in a little, night Theo." Tatsumi replied as he turned his head slightly to where he was able to see the green haired male walk away.

Once Theo was no longer in sight, Tatsumi released a sigh.

"God why is acting like a prince so tiring Falco?" Tatsumi said as he averted his attention to the bird on his shoulder.

The bird in response squawked.

"Tch, I'm not complaining, I'm just saying that acting like what I'm supposed to be is very tiring and boring." The brown haired male replied with traces of annoyance in his voice.

Falco squawked again, but this time he wasn't as loud.

"Oi, you keep badmouthing me, and I'm going to make you a late night snack!" Tatsumi said as he glared at his pet.

Falco's response was louder this time and sounded more like a shriek.

"Yeah, that's right, you better take back what you said." Tatsumi stated with a smile and a tinge of satisfaction his voice.

Falco response to Tatsumi was another squawk followed by a light peck on the cheek.

"It was just a joke Falco, we both know that I'd never eat you." Came the prince's reply as he rubbed the spot where Falco pecked. "Besides I'm not a huge fan of chicken."

Falco screeched in anger before slamming his beak against Tatsumi's face multiple times.

"Ow ow ow, stop it I was just kidding! You're not a chicken you're a falcon, now stop pecking me to death!" Tatsumi whined as he pulled his head away from Falco and tried to swat him away.

Falco got off of his shoulder and hovered in the air while releasing a cry before landing on his shoulder again.

"You could have poked my eye out Falco, next time just like dig your talons in me or something, okay? This face is something I care deeply about." Tatsumi stated as he felt up his cheek to make sure he didn't have any injuries.

Instead of squawking; Falco showed affection by rubbing against Tatsumi's cheek.

Tatsumi was taken back by this action, but he didn't pull his head away. He instead smiled, and began to scratch Falco with his finger while saying, "This is why you're my best friend. You don't give a damn what I am, all you want is me to be me, and no one else."

* * *

"So, this is the City Lavadan..." Spoke Tatsumi's second companion as the three of them disembarked from the Heron.

The man's name was Naofumi Iwatani, and he had black hair with fairly sharp facial features and green eyes. Compared to Tatsumi and Theo, Naofumi was skinnier, and he had a scowl on his face which made approaching him hard.

His attire consisted of a green cape with a white fur trim that went down to his calves, a black long sleeve shirt that was barely seen due to the hide jacket he wore as well as his epaulets and vambraces. He wore a pair of dark green pants and had reinforced hide cuisses to protect his thighs, and boots that went up to his knees.

Slung over his shoulders was a brown backpack that had multiple pockets and strapped to his right arm was a very, _very_ small kite shield that had a green gem in the center of it. He had a sword attached to his belt as well that did have a handle long enough for two handing.

"Yep, what do you think of it so far?" Theo questioned as he looked over his shoulder at the black haired male.

Theo wasn't wearing his ordinary clothes anymore. Instead, he wore a long dark green and gold coat that compliments his hair. Covering his left arm was white and gold armor. He has a sword sticking to his waist and wore a greyish pant with brown boots that reached right below his knees, and wore a white glove on his right hand. He also wears a black choker.

He also had a backpack slung over his shoulders, but his was much smaller than Naofumi's.

"It smells like fish..." Naofumi answered after thinking about it for a few seconds.

"You don't say?" Theo replied sarcastically. "Geez, I would never think a city on the oceanside would smell like fish, I was expecting it to smell like strawberries."

"This is why Tatsumi didn't want to bring you to his kingdom. You're a prick." Naofumi curtly stated as he shot the green-haired male a dirty look.

"Well, you're not entirely wrong," Theo said with a smile. "I am a prick, but I'm a prick that people enjoy being around."

"Says who?" The black haired male demanded with a bit of agitation in his voice.

"Says you two." Theo quipped. "Even though I can be a pain in the ass to you guys, you both still travel with me, so it's clear as day that you both enjoy my company."

"We all have that one friend who's annoying. You're that one friend." Tatsumi affirmed as the three of them strode up to the city's entrance.

Even though they were technically in Lavadan, they still had to speak with the harbormaster to gain entry to the city.

Upon halfway reaching the gate, Tatsumi and his companions were stopped by a large and round bald man, and a handful of guards.

The bald man had a clipboard in his left hand, and a pen in the other.

"Hold up. I need to speak with you three." The bald man stated in a deep, and serious tone as he gestured for them to stop.

Believing that this man was the harbormaster, Tatsumi respectfully replied. "No problem, what do you need?"

"Where are you three from, and what business do you have coming here?" The man demanded. "Also remove your hood, I wanna see your face."

"Alright." Tatsumi answered as he pulled his hood back revealing his facial features. "My name is Tatsumi Seika, this is Theo Cornaro, and he is Naofumi Iwatani, and we came from the Country Argos." He continued as he gestured to his friends with is staff.

"Argos eh?" The man stated as he wrote something down on his clipboard. "And the reason why you're here?"

"Looking for work really, Argos isn't exactly offering what it used to offer, so we came here. Oh, and the bird on my shoulder's name is Falco." Tatsumi responded with a shrug before pointing to Falco.

"Okay, and you arrived by the Heron, correct?" The harbormaster asked after he finished writing something down.

"Yep, if you don't believe me, you can go ask the Captain." Tatsumi coolly stated as he directed his thumb behind him.

"I plan on it." The man affirmed.

After several seconds of silence passed by, Theo spoke. "So, are we allowed to go?"

"You guys seem alright, head to the gate and speak to the gatemaster, once you pay the entrance fee you're free to enter Savamis." The harbormaster answered before moving past the three of them with his guards in tow behind him.

Once the group was out of sight, Tatsumi released a small sigh. "Usually you'd pay the harbormaster to gain entry, but I guess the Empire's cities are different from the cities of Argos."

"Does it really matter who we have to pay?" Theo questioned as he shot Tatsumi a look.

"No, not really," Tatsumi as he shook his head. "as long as we gain entry it doesn't matter who we pay."

"Exactly, so let's just go pay this gatemaster, enter the city, and then buy a wagon or some horses and be on our way." Theo declared before marching away towards the harbor's entrance leaving Tatsumi and Naofumi behind.

"You know, sometimes he's just annoying," Naofumi said aloud as he gazed at Theo's back. "and then there are times like this where he makes it sound like we're overcomplicating things."

"Yeah, he does do that stuff sometimes, doesn't he?" Tatsumi stated with a small grin in which Falco cawed in agreement.

"Mhm, I hate it, I really do, but not in a bad way." Naofumi stated with the tiniest of smiles. "He's our partner."

"Yeah, now let's catch up to him before he yells at us to hurry up." The brown haired male said in response before walking off with Naofumi behind him.

...

...

...

...

"I swear to the fucking Gods, if I hear another little boy shout about the store they're working for or a merchant shout about what items they have, I'm going to lose it." Theo declared, traces of irritation in his voice.

"How can you even hear that stuff with all the people here?" Naofumi asked with what sounded like genuine curiosity. "There's like hundreds of people here."

"I don't know, selective hearing I guess?" Theo answered while shrugging his shoulders.

"We're in the merchant's district, what were you expecting to hear?" Tatsumi questioned as he looked over his shoulder at the green haired male.

"I didn't expect to hear people shout about their stores every thirty seconds. I'll tell you that." Theo curtly replied.

"Then you're an idiot for not expecting that." Tatsumi rebutted in the same tone Theo used as he averted his attention back ahead of him. "Everyone here is trying to make money, even the consumers. If you've noticed most of them are around our age or a little older, and the reason why they're here is because they're looking to become adventures, bounty hunters, bodyguards or just mercenaries for hire."

"Which makes the rumors true..." Naofumi stated as his eyes drifted to a group of young men who were standing in front of a vendor that had weapons and shields. "The Empire is falling apart."

Clicking his tongue in annoyance, Theo spoke. "Tch, it's not like it's our problem. Sure it sucks for them, but it's not like we can do anything for them. They just have to fix this stuff themselves."

"I'm not saying we should," Tatsumi responded. "we have our own problems that we have to deal with. I'm just saying that you should expect to see this stuff during our travel to Espera."

Theo was about to say something in response, but before he could utter a word someone bumped into him causing him to stumble a bit.

"What the-" He started as he began to turn around only to see a young boy running away from him with a coin purse that looked like his.

"Huh?" He said as he felt for his coin purse only to find out that it's not there. "Hey! You little shit get back here with my gold!" He cried out making both Tatsumi and Naofumi whirl around and see a kid sprinting past them into a crowd of people.

"Falco?" Spoke Tatsumi as he glanced at his pet.

Falco squawked in response before taking to the sky. Once he was in the air though, Tatsumi chased after Naofumi and Theo who were already in the crowd shoving people in an attempt to find the thief.

As Tatsumi began to push people out of his way, he made sure to keep an eye on Falco and see where the bird would go.

Some of the people had called out and demanded Tatsumi to tell them what's his problem, but he didn't bother answering them. He simply just continued to shove people to the side while continuing to keep an eye on Falco.

Not long after he started pushing people, Falco squawked before suddenly plunging down into the crowd.

Seeing Falco dive down to his left, Tatsumi turned to his left and moved past a few people before being greeted by the sight of a kid on the ground with Falco on top of him scratching and clawing him with a bunch of people surrounding them.

"Someone do something! He's being attacked!" One of the female onlookers cried out in horror.

One of the onlookers, a male with broad shoulders and muscles moved to the boy's aid and rippled Falco off of the boy causing him to shriek as he flapped his wings frantically.

"I-I got it... Someone get a cage or something for this pest!" The man stated as he kept the bird away from his body.

"Hey asshole," Tatsumi stated in a cold tone almost immediately causing Falco to cease his frantic movements. "mind letting go of my bird?"

"Who are you?" The man questioned as he shot the man a glare.

"I'm the owner of that bird you're holding in your hands, now let go of him or we're going to have problems." Tatsumi stated, his tone still cold and callous.

"That thing attacked that boy, you-"

"That _thing_ attacked that boy because he's a _thief_. If you didn't notice there was a purse next to him, now though, it's nowhere to be found. Why's that you ask? It's because he picked it up and he's right now thinking he can get away while everyone's attention is on me, but little does he know I have my eyes on him." Tatsumi interrupted causing several of the bystanders to shift their attention back to the boy who had moved a bit from the spot he originally was at.

"Now that we cleared up the confusion I'll say this one more time. Let go of my bird." Tatsumi continued, his tone becoming grimmer than before.

The man stared at Tatsumi for a couple of seconds. He was an expert when it came to martial arts, and was pretty decent with a sword, but he could tell that robed man wasn't someone he'd want to pick a fight with. Plus he didn't have a weapon on him, whereas the robed man did.

As he released Falco from his grasp, the man spoke. "My apologies, I didn't know about the situation."

"That's fine." Tatsumi stated as Falco flew over to him and landed on his left shoulder. "Mistakes happen, so I can understand where you're coming from; however, I don't have time to chat, so if you excuse me I'm going to go get that purse and return it to its rightful owner."

The man didn't say anything in response. He just moved out of the way.

"Wait! I'm sorry I didn't mean to steal from him! I-"

"Nice job Tatsumi! You caught the little bastard!" Came Theo's voice causing the boy to fall silent and look past the robed figure and see the man he just stole from emerging from the crowd with their other companion right next to him.

After closing the distance and watching the boy fall onto his butt, Tatsumi squatted and spoke in a deep and intimidating voice. "Give me the purse, and you won't be harmed, okay?"

"Pl-Please, I need the mon-"

" _Give me the purse_." Tatsumi interrupted, his voice even more intimidating than before.

With great reluctance, the kid dropped the bag of coins into Tatsumi's hand.

"Thank you." Tatsumi said as he stood up and began to walk away towards his companions only to stop and look back at the boy who was still on the ground with tears coming out of his eyes.

"Here." He said in a tone that was still cold, but not as cold as before.

"What?" The boy said with confusion as he looked up to see several gold coins land directly in front of him.

"The world is cruel and unforgiving. I'm not saying you should resort to thievery, but in order to survive the world we live in, you need to become stronger. Take them and thrive, okay?" Tatsumi stated as he closed Theo's purse and stared down at the boy.

"O-Ohkay..." The boy mumbled as he began to pick up the money.

Tatsumi watched the boy for a few more seconds before resuming his walk.

Upon reaching Theo and Naofumi, Tatsumi tossed Theo his bag of gold and said in a scolding tone. "I told you, you shouldn't have your purse out like that. And I don't want to hear about how that wasn't my gold to give. I don't wanna hear it, and to be honest if it wasn't for me you wouldn't even be getting that back, so shut up and walk."

Theo clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Understood, your _highness_."

* * *

 **(Revan's AN): It's a little short, but I felt at this rate I wouldn't have posted this, so I decided to cut it here. I don't have anything to say, there's nothing really important to talk about. I mean it's the first chapter, so yeah. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it and I'll see you guys next update whenever that is.**


	2. Journey to Espera's Capital

**(Revan's AN): I wish the guest who reviewed chapter one had an account. I would've liked to give him a response.**

 **Full Summary:** Tatsumi Seika, the second son of Kaito Seika, was a rebellious child. Unlike his siblings, he didn't care about the duties of a prince, and after being told that he was going to marry some noblewoman, he ran away from home. Now, after five years of being away, Tatsumi has finally returned.

 **Non-canon, single-pairing, OOC Characters.**

* * *

 _"Flashbacks" -_ **Thinking**

"Flashbacks" - _**Talking**_

 _[Flashbacks]_ **\- Letters or Reports.**

 **Theme Song: Rise, by The Glitch Mob, Mako, and The Word Alive.**

 **Main Writer:** Revan's Stories

 **Co-Writer:** None.

* * *

Tatsumi released a sigh of annoyance as he guided his horse through the ankle deep snow.

The journey to the Capital City of Espera had so far been a quiet and pleasant one, but upon entering the country, Tatsumi began to remember how much he hated its weather.

He may have been born in the winter, and lived in a country that is practically always covered in snow and ice, but that doesn't mean he loved it; in fact, Tatsumi despised it, and preferred places that had warm weather.

"Hey Tatsumi!" Theo shouted causing Tatsumi to look over his shoulder and see the green haired male in the back behind Naofumi who was also on foot guiding his horse. "Mind telling me why there's still snow here even though it's about to become summer?"

"That's because Espera is a frozen wasteland!" The brown haired male yelled in response. "This place is always covered in snow and ice which is why Espera is known for its military prowess and not for its agriculture. The land sucks, and almost everything is trying to kill you."

"I see!" Theo shouted back. "Is that why you ran away? You didn't want to live in this kind of weather twenty-four-seven?"

Tatsumi flinched upon hearing that.

 _"I came here to see if you're really going to do. If you're really committed on leaving us."_

"No..." Tatsumi muttered as his facial features darkened. "No, that's not it..."

* * *

 _ **[Five Years Ago]**_

"Hrah!" Tatsumi roared as he threw the javelin at the straw dummy.

"As expected of Prince Tatsumi."

"Indeed, Prince Tatsumi is truly a Seika. To hit a target from that distance is no small feat. "

"Had that been a real person, then they'd be dead. I feel our future is secured with Prince Tatsumi here."

These were the words that Tatsumi loathed and despised with a burning passion.

He understood he was a prince, but that didn't mean that he needed his ass to be kissed by the Lords and Ladies of the Court. Especially when he didn't hit what he wanted to hit; his target was the dummy's head, not its chest.

"Gimme another one." Tatsumi ordered as he stretched out his right hand, not even bothering to look at the servant standing next to him.

"Understood, Your Highness." Came the girl's response as she quickly handed him another javelin.

"Hmph." He grunted before he tossed the javelin up as if it was a ball. After doing this a few more times, Tatsumi contemplated on just throwing it and seeing what the nobles watching would say, but decided not to in the end. Instead, he went through the motions, and threw the javelin the way its supposed to be thrown.

He had missed his target again, and this time he had the dummy in the right leg, but because he was a prince, no one spoke illy about him. They instead praised him and said to one another that he was truly gifted.

"I can't do this anymore..." Tatsumi whispered to himself. "Let's go, Silica, I'm done for the day."

"Understood, Your Highness." The now named servant replied with a small bow before following behind the young prince who had already started walking away.

Tatsumi didn't pay any intention to the Lords and Ladies who stood in his way, he had no words to be exchanged with them.

Right when he was about to reach the double doors, the two doors swung open revealing a black-haired male that looked to be in their mid-teens. He had long hair that that passed his shoulders, blue eyes, and a circlet that had his family's symbol on it. His attire was very similar to Tatsumi's with the only differences being color.

The boy was Numa Seika, and he was Tatsumi's twin.

"It's Prince Numa!"

"Is Prince Numa going to train now? I thought he was going to be in the throne room all day with His Majesty?"

"Maybe His Majesty wants Prince Tatsumi to be there as well?"

Tatsumi couldn't help from rolling his eyes upon hearing the nobles talk about them. You'd think they'd learn by now that they're not exactly quiet when gossiping.

"Numa." Tatsumi greeted in a somewhat cold manner as he gave him a small nod.

"Tatsumi," Numa replied as he gave his brother a nod as well. "Father wishes to speak with you in his study."

"What about?" The brown-haired youth asked as he rubbed the right side of his face, not even caring if the people around him see him as being rude.

"I don't know, he just suddenly said that he had something that needs attending and told the people to direct their complaints to the Hand of the King before telling me to come get you." Numa answered with a shrug.

"I see," Tatsumi answered as he picked his ear. "I guess I can go see what he wants."

Now had this been someone else, the person would have been reprimanded for this kind of attitude, but since it was Tatsumi, none of the nobles dared to speak their mind.

"You really shouldn't act like that," Numa stated as Tatsumi and his attendant moved past him. "It's not fitting for a prince to act, and talk like that."

 _"Sorry, but I could care less about that stuff. Unlike you, I don't care what others think about me."_

Those were the words that Tatsumi wanted to say to his brother, but instead he said, "I'll keep that in mind."

...

...

...

Upon arriving at his father's studies, a sigh escaped Tatsumi's lips. He and his father weren't on great terms, but they also weren't on bad terms either. There were times where they'd get along, and there were times where they didn't get along.

His attendant, Silica heard the sigh and asked him. "Is everything alright, Your Highness?"

"Yeah, everything is fine," Tatsumi answered as he stared at the door. "could you perhaps go and prepare a bath for me? I just realized that I kind of smell."

"Of course, Your Highness." His servant replied with a small bow. "I'll go prepare one immediately."

"Thanks." Was all he said in response before hearing her walk away from him. Once he could no longer hear her footsteps, Tatsumi released another sigh.

"Alright, let's see what father wants." He said after mentally preparing himself for a lecture.

Opening the door, the young prince was welcomed by the sight of his father who was sitting down in a large chair behind a large desk that was covered with papers and scrolls.

"Tatsumi," His father greeted him in a tone that had a tinge of affection in it. "please come and sit down. There is much I need to discuss with you."

"Okay." Came Tatsumi's response as he closed the door behind him and moved to one of the two chairs that were in front of the desk.

Upon sitting down in the right chair, Tatsumi's father began to speak. "You are my second child, and although you're not the one who will inherit the throne, you are still a Seika and a Prince of Espera."

Tatsumi didn't say anything, for he didn't know what to say. He had no idea why he was bringing this stuff up.

"Your mother and I have been speaking with Lady Alreid, the head of House Alreid, and after much debating, we have decided that you shall wed Lady Alreid." His father stated in a stern manner that showed he wasn't joking at all.

"What?" Tatsumi responded.

"Now I know this is quite a lot to take in, and I had planned on telling you sooner, but I had spotted Lady Alreid today and remembered that tomorrow-"

"No, wha-hold up! What do you mean I'm going to be wed to Lady Alreid!? She's twice my age!" Tatsumi shouted, traces of anger in his voice. He had tried his best to remain calm, but upon hearing that this was already planned he lost it.

"Tatsumi calm down." His father said, completely taken back by his son's sudden yelling. "Lady Alreid is a lovely woman, sure she might be older than you, but she is someone we need to have on our side. The Alreids are very powerful, and we need to make sure we have their loyalty."

"Then have Numa marry her! I don't want to marry her!" Tatsumi cried out as he slammed his fist onto the desk.

"Numa is the heir to the throne. He is one day going to be king, and he needs to have a queen that is young and able to bear children." His father stated with a serious look indicating that Numa couldn't marry the head of the Alreid family.

"I-I-I refuse! I will not do this!" Tatsumi declared after seconds of contemplating what to say.

"What do you mean _you refuse_? You're a prince and have obligations to fulfill. You-"

"I don't care about that stuff! I don't give a shit about my duties as a prince, I'm tired of having to act a certain way, and I'm tired of having to do this just because I'm a Seika! I don't fucking care about these things!" Tatsumi roared, anger and rage in his voice.

His father didn't say anything; he just stared at him. Tatsumi had not once complained or acted like this before in his life, so he was unsure what to say or do.

"Tatsumi, I..." His father began, his voice a little shakey. "I'm sorry you feel this way, but this isn't something we can discuss. I had already promised Lady Alreid that you'd wed her, if I break my promise then there will be problems down the road and that's something I can't allow to happen as king."

"So that's it? You're just going to sell me off to some woman because you're paranoid that one day the Alreids might start a rebellion?" He stated with anger and irritation in his voice.

"Tatsumi..." His father replied in a voice that was asking for him to stop.

"It's not fair, and I will not marry her! I don't care if it's for the greater good of the kingdom, I wanna live my life and make my own choices!" Tatsumi continued, his voice getting louder and louder.

"Tatsumi, stop." His father said in the same voice.

"No! I've done everything everyone has asked me without any objections! I'm tired of-"

"That's enough Tatsumi!" His father roared as he rose from his chair causing the young prince to fall silent. "This isn't a discussion, nor is it a debate! The matter is closed, you will marry Lady Alreid, and you will do as you are told because you are my son!"

Tatsumi sat there for a couple of seconds before getting out of his chair and running out of the room. He didn't know if his father had seen the tears forming in his eyes, and if he was being honest with himself, Tatsumi didn't care if he did see them.

His father who had watched him run out of the room wanted to call out to him after seeing a tear go down his face, but had decided not to. Instead, he had decided it was best to leave him be.

Little did he know that this action was going to bring him major regret.

* * *

"The reason why I left Espera was because of something else entirely." Tatsumi admitted in a tone that wasn't as loud as before while continuing his march through the snow with his horse.

"Oh, and what was that reason?" Theo asked as he picked up the pace and passed Naofumi with his horse right behind him.

"I don't wanna talk about it." Tatsumi said in a not so loud tone before tilting his head back a little and checking up on Falco who was flying directly above them.

"Come on!" The green haired warrior whined as he approached Tatsumi from the left. "I'm really curious what made you leave! I mean you're royalty and could practically have anything you want, so what was the reason?"

"I said I don't wanna talk about it." Tatsumi repeated as he cast Theo a glance indicating for him to stop asking.

Unfortunately, Theo was very intrigued and wanted to know the motive. "Don't be like that, and just tell me, I promise I won't bug you ever again if you tell me."

"You might as well just tell him," Naofumi commented from his right causing the brown haired male to look to his right and see that Naofumi had decided to join them in walking side by side. "you and I both know Theo isn't going to stop asking unless you tell him."

"Yeah, so you should just tell me already!" Theo energetically agreed as he nodded his head repeatedly.

"Calm down," Tatsumi stated with irritation seeping into his voice. "I understand you're curious, but this isn't something I wanna discuss or think about really."

"Mmm," Theo groaned in annoyance.

"I think you should talk about it," Naofumi said after a few seconds of silence. "I understand the past can be very painful, but if you don't come to terms with it, you'll never be able to move on. I would know from experience."

Tatsumi remained silent for several seconds before sighing. "Fine, the reason why I left..."

* * *

 _ **[5 Years Ago]**_

Tatsumi released a sigh as he walked down the corridor. He had managed to sneak out of his room by scaling down the window, but he still had a long ways to go before he was out of the city.

After hours of thinking about the fate his father had given him, Tatsumi had decided to take matters into his own hands.

He knew there would be consequences if he was found leaving the palace, but he didn't care. He just wanted to live his life the way he wanted to.

Upon reaching the end of the corridor, Tatsumi opened the double doors and was welcomed to the sight of his mother's garden.

It wasn't the biggest garden out there, but neither was it the smallest one, it was a decent size and had all sorts of plants that grew only in Espera.

In the center of the garden was a stone statue of the very first Seika who became King of Espera, Kenichi Seika, a renowned figure that every Esperan knew. In his hands was the family's spear, Wolfsbane.

 _"If I get caught, Mother is going to kill me..."_ Tatsumi said to himself as he took off the medallion that had his family's symbol and approached the front of the statue.

Upon approaching it, he crouched down and placed the ornament on top of the center family symbol and turned it to his right.

Not long after doing this, a click like noise was heard followed by the sound of stone moving. As he rose, Tatsumi looked to his left and watched as a small section of the stone disappear behind another section.

The portion that had moved was no larger than a door, and it revealed nothing but blackness. What lied behind the darkness was his ticket to freedom, for it was a passage that would lead him out of the city.

"It's not too late to turn back. You know that right?" Came the voice of his brother from his left causing him to whirl around and see his brother standing with an unlit torch in his hand.

"... What are you doing here Numa, and why do you have that in your hands?" Tatsumi asked after several seconds of staring at his older brother.

"I came here to see if you're really going to do. If you're really committed on leaving us." Numa answered.

"I am." Tatsumi sternly stated, his expression firm and showing no signs of joking.

"Well, then you're going to need this." Numa replied as he tossed the torch to his brother followed by a box of matches that was in his other hand.

"You-You're not going to stop me?" Tatsumi questioned, a little taken back that his brother was letting him go.

"No, I can tell you'd rather take your chances out there than live this life. I'm not like father, so I wish you the best of luck and hope you make it because this world is cruel."

* * *

 **(Revan's AN): And cut. So here's the second part, I had planned on releasing it yesterday, but I had got caught up with other things so I wasn't able to finish it. Now I know it's a little short, but it can't be helped, I didn't want to write any unnecessary things. I felt it was decent, so I cut it here, if you're upset with that, then tough shit. Anyways, see you in the next chapter, I might do an update for Inquisitors before that, but I don't make promises unless I know I can keep them.**


	3. Arrival At Ylona

**(Revan's AN): I hope you all enjoy this chapter.**

 **Full Summary:** Tatsumi Seika, the second son of Kaito Seika, was a rebellious child. Unlike his siblings, he didn't care about the duties of a prince, and after being told that he was going to marry some noblewoman, he ran away from home. Now, after five years of being away, Tatsumi has finally returned.

 **Non-canon, single-pairing, OOC Characters.**

* * *

 _"Flashbacks" -_ **Thinking**

"Flashbacks" - _**Talking**_

 _[Flashbacks]_ **\- Letters or Reports.**

 **Theme Song: Rise, by The Glitch Mob, Mako, and The Word Alive.**

 **Main Writer:** Revan's Stories

 **Co-Writer:** None.

* * *

After nearly another week of traveling, Tatsumi and his companions finally reached the Capital City of Espera.

The Capital City, Ylona was the largest city in Espera, it was home to nearly two million souls, and it was also the place where the Seika bloodline has resided at for almost a thousand years.

It was the place where Kenichi Seika was labeled King of Espera. It was the place where his father, Kaito Seika was labeled King of Espera, and it was the place his brother would be labeled King of Espera.

It was Tatsumi's home.

Seeing his birthplace from this far away made Tatsumi sigh. He may have hated the snow, and he may not be the biggest fan of the cold weather, but seeing his home intact and still standing just felt very satisfying.

"So, this is the place where you were born and raised?" Theo questioned as his mount slowly came to a stop next to Tatsumi's.

"Yeah, this is it," Tatsumi answered as he continued to stare at the city that was about a mile or two away. "this is the place I'm supposed to call home."

"You know," Theo started with a small frown on his face. "I really do think your reasoning for leaving was childish. You could have ended up dead in the forest due to your-"

"I know." Tatsumi interrupted with a firm look on his face. "I know if I didn't find that dead adventurer I wouldn't have survived. You don't have to tell me, I know what I did was stupid."

"It was," Naofumi added as slowly rode past the two idling warriors. "It really was stupid."

Hearing this caused a tic mark to appear right below his left eye. He understood what he did was stupid, so why were they rubbing salt in his wound?

"Anyways, we should probably get a move on," Theo stated with a grin as he cast the brown haired male a look. "it's been far too long since I've slept on a bed."

"Yeah," Tatsumi agreed as he gripped his horse with his legs prompting it to move forward. "it has been a good while."

...

...

...

Upon halfway reaching Ylona, Tatsumi and company were stopped by a dozen horsemen who had ridden out of the city to greet them.

They all wore steelish-silver armor with leather underneath to provide them warmth, and their horses also had steelish-silver armor on to protect them. The one that stood out, however, was the man leading the party. He looked to be in his early thirties with red hair and brown eyes. He carried in his left hand a black banner that had the Seika's family symbol on it and strapped to his back was a round shield.

"What business do you have here?" He questioned in a cold tone.

"I have business with His Majesty, Kaito Seika." Tatsumi immediately answered as he pulled back his hood and revealed his facial features. "My name is Tatsumi Seika, second son of Kaito Seika and Asami Seika, and the second in line to the throne."

"Tatsumi Seika?"

"Prince Numa's twin brother?"

These were the words that the soldiers muttered to one another.

The redhead though remained quiet and just stared at Tatsumi. Eventually, he responded to Tatsumi. "You chose an interesting time to come back, _your highness,_ for the city is currently mourning for His Majesty who had passed away this morning."

"What?" Tatsumi replied, his voice filled with shock and surprise as well as his face. "What do you mean he passed away? Are you telling me my father is dead?"

"Yes, His Majesty has passed away this morning at eight thirty-two, it's a tragedy for he was such a good king." The man replied with a nod. He didn't know if this man was the real Tatsumi, but he was the first person to claim to be the prince who ran away in a long time.

"Take me to my brother, Numa. I want to see him now." Tatsumi ordered with a serious look. He needed to know what happened to his father, and he needed to know now.

"Understood, your highness, but I'm afraid your companions will have to wait outside of the palace. Outsiders are right now not welcomed." The redhead stated in a firm tone. He still had some doubt that the man was truly Prince Tatsumi, and knew that he could get in trouble for allowing Tatsumi and his companions inside the city, but for some reason, his gut was telling him to listen to the young man in front of him.

"That won't be an issue, now let's go."

* * *

Pushing the double doors of the sept's main sanctum open, Tatsumi shouted at the top of his lungs. "Numa!"

The man who was standing in the center sanctum had his back turned against Tatsumi. He had long black hair and wore a grey suit of armor on top of a purple high-collared shirt, and wore a purple cape as well. He had flinched upon hearing his name and slowly turned around allowing Tatsumi to be able to see his blue eyes and the circlet he wore that had their bloodline's symbol on it.

"You chose an interesting time to come back, _brother_." Numa stated in a cold voice that sent chills down his spine. "The day father dies is the day you decide to return. Very convenient if you ask me."

"Are you... Are you suspecting I killed our father?" Tatsumi replied with disbelief in his voice.

"He died by poison," Numa responded as he approached his younger brother. "and you returning the day he died is very, very convenient."

Tatsumi gritted his teeth in irritation. The reason why he had come back in the first place was to apologize to his parents, and ask for their forgiveness. That was originally the plan, but instead of that happening, he was having his brother accuse him of murdering their father.

"I don't care about the throne," Tatsumi stated with a serious look in his eye. "I didn't come here to fight for the throne. I came here to apologize to our parents. I have no intentions of ruling, and I'll happily announce them to the people of Espera if you want."

Numa glared at Tatsumi for almost a minute before releasing a sigh. "Very well, if what you say is true then I'll leave you alone with father, but don't take too long, the nobles have yet to pay their respect."

With that said Numa began to walk past him before abruptly coming to a halt and saying, "Father still loved you, and was willing to do anything to see your face again. I hope you found the happiness you were looking for out there, for you destroyed our family's happiness by leaving."

After that, Numa resumed his walk, this time he didn't stop, leaving Tatsumi all alone with his father's corpse.

Tatsumi didn't respond to his brother, he just closed his eyes, clenched his teeth, and attempted to dig his fingernails into his palms. Unfortunately, his gloves stopped him from achieving the later.

After a good while of just standing there and having tears roll down his face, Tatsumi took in a large amount of air before marching towards his father's corpse.

His father's once silky black hair and beard now had tinges of silver in it, indicating signs of him being old. His face was slightly wrinkled, and he had two stones on top of his eyes and painted to resemble his emerald green eyes. His hands were clasped over his chest with a sword in them that was pointing down towards his feet.

"Father," Spoke Tatsumi in a voice full of sadness. "I-I'm sorry..."

Upon saying those two words, Tatsumi collapsed and grabbed ahold of the altar that his father laid on top of him. "I'm so, so sorry..."

His voice was filled with nothing but pain, regret, and sadness.

"Had I known that you were... That you were suffering I would have came back sooner..." He said in between sobs as he stared at the grown, a little bit of snot coming out of his nose. "I-I wouldn't ha-have ever left if I-I knew what th-this would have caused you..."

"So much pain..." He murmured the last part as he closed his eyes and bit his bottom lip.

"I'm sorry..."

"I'm sorry..."

Those were the words he repeated to himself over and over for nearly eight minutes. His tears had stopped pouring out of his sockets, and all he could do was sit there on his knees. Unable to look at his father's lifeless body.

He didn't know how many minutes had passed, but eventually, the Lords and Ladies who lived in Ylona began to enter the main sanctum only to stop upon seeing Tatsumi's figure.

"Who are you?" One of the proud lords said who stood in the front of the group.

Tatsumi didn't respond.

"Is he perhaps the man who killed His Majesty?" A lady questioned as she clung onto her husband's arm.

This caused almost all the nobles to begin conversing with one another their thoughts on the black-robed figure.

Eventually, after about a minute of sitting there, Tatsumi spoke.

"My name is..." He muttered as he rose to his feet.

"My name is.." He repeated this time loud enough for some of them to hear.

"What? What is your name?" One of the Lords demanded, a firm look written on his face.

"My name is... Tatsumi Seika." He declared as he turned around to face the group, allowing them to see his slightly red eyes. "I am the second son of Kaito Seika and Asami Seika, and I have returned to resume my responsibilities as a _prince_."

With that said, Tatsumi marched towards them and left the main sanctum with his back as straight as it could be. Signifying that he was going to commit to his duties.

* * *

After the declaration in the Great Sept, Tatsumi had gone straight to the royal palace to go see his siblings and mother. Luckily it didn't take him long to gain entry to the palace, and that was because word had spread that he had returned.

He was surprised that word had gotten out so quickly, and if he had to guess how it had gotten out so fast, then he would have to put money on the guards who had escorted them into Ylona.

He had a lot of words that needed to be exchanged with his family, and because of this, he had requested some of the guards to take his companions to his room and have them wait there for him.

Of course, Theo didn't exactly like the idea of idling in a man's bedroom and would have preferred venturing the city, but Tatsumi had told him that it was important, so he reluctantly agreed to wait in his room.

Upon pushing the double doors of his parent's room open, Tatsumi called out to his mother.

Apparently, his mother had decided to lock herself in her room, and refused to speak with anyone. Including his siblings.

Tatsumi's mother, who was currently sitting in a wooden chair drinking wine averted her eyes from the wine glass and cast the black-robed figure a confused look. "Numa? Is that you?" She asked in a drunk like manner.

"No," Tatsumi answered as he approached his mother and got on his knees before her. "it's me, Tatsumi. I've come home."

At that moment she immediately sobered up.

"Tatsumi?" She repeated as she set down her wine glass and rubbed her eyes. "Tatsumi is that really you?"

"Yes," He affirmed with a smile as he embraced his mother. "it's really me. It's your toddy toots."

At this, his mother began to cry. When Tatsumi was five years old, she had decided to give him that as a cute little nickname, and it was a nickname that only they knew about.

"Tatsumi!" She practically wailed as she tightened her grip on him, preventing him from leaving her grasp. "Where have you been!? Why did you run away!?"

"I'm sorry..." Was all he could mutter into her shoulder.

"When I found out that you had ran away, I immediately ordered the Commander of the Royal Guard to find you, but they couldn't find you. I had feared the worst, and thought that I had lost you." She stated causing his heart to ache.

He really did regret running away.

"I'm really sorry." Tatsumi declared in a sad tone.

"It's okay, you're back now, and that's all that matters." She said as she gently pushed her son back and looked him in the eye. "I do wish though that you had come at a better time."

"I do too, I wish I had returned sooner. I-"

"Mom, let me in right now! I wanna know if it's true that Tatsumi has come home!" Came the voice of a female from the double doors along with th sound of a hand hitting wood causing Tatsumi to stop midsentence and shoot the double doors a look.

"Is that Yuki?" He questioned after reverting his attention back to his mother.

"Yes, that's your little sister Yuki." His mother answered with a small smile. "Come in Yuki! Tatsumi is here, and is wanting to see you!"

Not long after his mother said this, the double doors were pushed open, and stepping through the doorframe was a girl who looked to be around fifteen years old. She had dark brown hair that could sometimes be mistaken as black and purplish colored eyes. She wore a blue dress that princess' would wear and wore a tiara that had three sapphires.

"Yuki," Tatsumi murmured as he rose to his feet. "you've grown up."

"Brother..." Yuki responded in an emotional voice before closing the distance between them and wrapping her arms around his waist. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too," He replied as he wrapped his hands around her.

"I was going to go pay my respects to father, but then I heard that you were here, so I came to see you." She stated as she buried her face in his chest. "I'm really happy that you aren't dead. Things haven't been the same here since you've left."

Tatsumi remained silent hearing this, when it came to his siblings the best relationship he had was with his little sister. He didn't know why, but he honestly didn't care.

"Please tell me you're not going to leave again..." His sister requested in a teary voice. "Please tell me you're going to stay here."

"I'm not going anywhere, I'm never going to leave you guys again." He confessed as his grip tightened a bit. "I'm going to stay here and fufill my duties as a prince, and as your older brother."

Their mother who had been watching this couldn't help from smiling, even though she had just lost her husband seeing her son that she had feared to be dead alive brought her joy, and made her forget about the pain she was experiencing this morning.

"You Promise?" Yuki questioned as she tilted her head back and looked into her brother's eyes.

"I promise."

* * *

"So, you've decided to stay?" Numa questioned as he glanced at his brother.

"Yes, I know I had told you earlier that I had no intentions of staying, and that I've only came to apologize, but I've realized that is wrong of me. My place is here." Tatsumi answered as he met his brother's gaze.

"I see," Numa replied as he looked away. "and you're sure you wanna do this?"

"Yes," Tatsumi affirmed with a nod. "I still have no intentions of trying to inherit the throne. I have no claim to it, I had ran away over something childish, and because of that I'm not fit to be a king."

"Agreed," Numa said in a curt tone. "your reasoning was childish, and I regret letting you go."

Tatsumi didn't say anything.

"However, that is in the past." Numa continued. "If you're actually being serious, then I have no problem with you staying, as for your companions... I will also allow them to stay in the palace, that is if they want too."

"I will talk to them about that later on tonight." Came Tatsumi's response.

"Sounds good, and oh, I hope you understand that I'm going to be expecting you to do what I say. Even if it is marrying someone twice your age." Numa added in a firm voice as he cast Tatsumi a look that had no traces of joking whatsoever.

"I understand, I will do what I must for the Seika bloodline." Tatsumi complied.

"Good, tomorrow will be my coronation, and I expect you to be there. In fact, I'm going to be expecting you at my side a lot, so you best sleep well tonight." Numa stated.

"Understood."

* * *

 **(Revan's AN): Mmm, I liked this, I'm not trying to purple prose this and I keep on forgetting this is an anime/manga so I shouldn't try that hard on the realism. Anyways, yeah, I guess that's the first arc. 10k words for it all, it's short, but I'm not that concerned at the moment since it's the prologue. Well, with that being said I think I'll end it here. I mean, I hope you all can see that Numa is cold when it comes to Tatsumi, and honestly, I can't blame him. His brother left for a selfish and childish reason, and his family suffered because of it.**

 **Oh, I forgot to mention this last chapter.**

 **Link to the discord server:** discord .gg/ uDxVym8

 **Yeah, it's back.**


	4. A Prince's Troubles

**(Revan's AN): I hope you all enjoy this chapter.**

 **Full Summary:** Tatsumi Seika, the second son of Kaito Seika, was a rebellious child. Unlike his siblings, he didn't care about the duties of a prince, and after being told that he was going to marry some noblewoman, he ran away from home. Now, after five years of being away, Tatsumi has finally returned.

 **Non-canon, single-pairing, OOC Characters.**

* * *

 _"Flashbacks" -_ **Thinking**

"Flashbacks" - _**Talking**_

 _[Flashbacks]_ **\- Letters or Reports.**

 **Theme Song: Rise, by The Glitch Mob, Mako, and The Word Alive.**

 **Main Writer:** Revan the Edgelord

 **Co-Writer:** None.

* * *

Tatsumi had to fend off the urge to release a sigh.

It had been a few days since his brother's coronation, and since then, Tatsumi has spent countless hours in the throne room listening to many nobles, and soldiers pledge their allegiance to Numa.

After the second day though, Tatsumi had to ask his brother why he needed to be there, and the reason why was to show that he was loyal to him.

Apparently, there was a group of nobles who didn't want Numa sitting on the throne, so to prevent them from scheming something he wanted Tatsumi to attend these that way they couldn't use him as their figurehead.

Now, he didn't understand how they'd use him as their figurehead, but he decided not to ask because he was pretty sure he would just end up annoying his older brother.

As he listened to the Lord, Tatsumi put his head on his right hand and closed his eyes a little.

The thought of taking a nap appealed him, and he wanted to rest, but he knew if he did then he would end up causing problems for himself.

Practically the entire kingdom's eyes were on him. Everyone was wondering what he has become over his years of being away, and what his intentions are.

He had thought he made his intentions clear at Numa's coronation and his father's funeral, but some people weren' convinced.

At least that's what Numa believed.

Because of this belief, Tatsumi had suggested that he give up his claim on the throne, but Numa was surprisingly against that. He didn't state his reasons why he was against that, but he did tell Tatsumi that wasn't an option.

After about a minute of having his eyes close, he heard Numa speak. "Thank you, Lord Astaroth, it brings me joy knowing that you have a lot of trust in me. I will do my best to not disappoint you, or your family."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Spoke the middle-aged man with a deep and respectful bow. As he rose, he sent the black-robed prince who had a large bird on his shoulder a look. "It is also good to see that you are alive and well as well, your highness. When I had heard you had returned, I was a bit surprised, but I am glad you are back."

"... Thank you, Lord Astaroth." Tatsumi said after a few seconds of silence.

With Tatsumi not saying anything else to the old man, Numa's hand dismissed him, and summoned the next one forward.

And thus, Tatsumi was forced to listen to another person praise his father, and talk about how they were going to be very devoted to his brother.

As the man talked, Tatsumi cast Numa's hand a glance and couldn't help but wonder how he was able to stand all this time.

Unlike him or Numa, his Hand had spent the past few days standing next to his brother while they've been sitting on their butts, so he was a little curious how this man who was up in age could stand for several hours in the same spot.

In fact, his thoughts started to drift towards the guards, and he soon found himself wondering how guards were able to do it, for they stood in the same spot with armor on.

The thoughts he had though, were shortly lived due to the Lord directing him a question.

Not remembering what was said, Tatsumi said in response. "My apologies, my mind was somewhere else, what was the question you asked me?"

The Lord, a short and stocky man who appeared to be in his forties with a white beard was a little taken back, but had no problems repeating what he had asked. "I had asked you, Your Highness, what your thoughts are on these nomadic tribes that wander the far North?"

"Nomadic tribes in the far North?" Tatsumi repeated with a small frown. "I assume you are talking about those hunter clans that deal with danger beasts, correct?"

"Yes, Your Highness." The man stated with a nod.

"Well, if you want to know, then my take on them is indifferent," Tatsumi answered with an expression that held little emotion. "if they aren't bothering the Lords and Ladies of the region or the military, then I don't have any problems with them."

"But aren't you concerned that one day they might become hostile towards us?" He questioned with a look of concern. "These nomadic tribes are getting bigger and bigger every day-"

"I understand that, but they're like I said, _hunter clans_ , and if I remember correctly, what they deal with are danger beasts." Tatsumi curtly interrupted causing the man to fall silent. "Danger beasts that plague our nations and kill hundreds of people on a daily basis. Now, I understand you're worried about them becoming a possible threat, but if you go looking for an enemy, you'll find it."

Numa who had so far remained quiet, couldn't help from smiling a little. He had planned on stepping in, but upon hearing the first sentence that came out of Tatsumi's mouth, he realized that there was no need for him to step in. His brother's tongue had gotten sharper over the years of him being away.

"So you're saying we should let them continue growing?" The Lord questioned with a trace of anger in his voice that made Numa narrow his eyes.

"No." Tatsumi sternly stated as the crowd of people who stood behind the Lord began voicing their concerns to one another. "I'm saying that we don't go make enemies with Esperans. Especially the ones who can kill high ranking danger beasts."

"Then what are you-"

"I don't know why you're so curious about my opinion." The black-robed prince stated in a cold tone. "I am not your king, I am merely a prince, so I don't know why you care so much about my opinion and thoughts on the matter."

"My brother is right." Spoke Numa who had decided that now was the best time to step in. "He's not your king, and I am also starting to wonder why you're so keen on his thoughts, Lord Shaxx."

"I-My apologies, Your Majesty." The Lord said with a deep bow. "I didn't mean to come off rude or disrespectful."

Neither of the Seikas said anything, both of them simply stared at the man.

After nearly a minute, Numa spoke again. "You are forgiven, and dismissed. Next person, please step forward."

* * *

As he entered his mother's garden, Tatsumi released a sigh.

The day had been tedious and he had planned on retiring for the night, but upon returning to his room, he was greeted by a messenger who had a message from his mother asking for him to come to her garden.

"Mother?" He called out as he walked towards the statue of Kenichi Seika.

"I'm over here!" His mother answered from his right causing him to turn and walk down a pathway made of rocks.

After a few seconds of walking down the trail, the young prince found his mother on her knees with a lantern by her side digging up what looked like to be weeds.

"You summoned me?" He questioned as Falco flew off of his shoulder and perched himself on a small tree that hovered over them.

"Ah, yes." His mother answered as she sat up and wiped some sweat off of her forehead. "Come, help me get rid of these pesky weeds please."

"You know it's late in the evening, right?" Tatsumi stated with a small frown decorating his face. He wasn't surprised that his mother was doing this type of work for this was apparently one of the reasons why his father had fallen in love with her.

He didn't understand it really, but from what his father and mother had told when he was younger this place originally used to be a courtyard with nothing in it, but upon his mother seeing it, she insisted that they make it a garden.

It was strange, and he didn't exactly understand why she wanted to make this place her garden, but it wasn't his place to question.

"Yes, which is why I have a lantern, now sit, these weeds aren't going to be plucked themselves." His mother answered with a smile.

Deciding not to argue with her, Tatsumi took off his spear and planted it into the ground. He then got onto his knees and began to start removing the weeds.

The two of them did this for a while in silence, neither of them saying a word to one another until eventually, his mother spoke. "What do you think of your brother's rule so far?"

"... I think he will be a strong and wise king like father." Tatsumi replied after a couple seconds of thinking about his answer.

"I think so too." His mother agreed with a small grin while digging up a weed with her handheld shovel. "He certainly has the look for it."

"Yeah..." Tatsumi confessed as he yanked a portion of a weed out.

His mother watched him dig the rest of the weed out and as he did this, she said, "If you don't mind me asking, why do you still carry around your weapon, and wear these clothes and armor?"

"It makes me feel safe to be honest." He admitted as he set the plant next to all the other dug up plants. "And I like my robes."

"Do you not believe the royal guard can protect you?" She questioned.

"No," He answered almost immediately. "I don't doubt them, but I've spent most of my teenage years having to fight, so being armed makes me feel safe, and the armor brings me a sense of comfort."

"I see," His mother said as she plucked another weed.

"Why haven't you been in the throne room?" He asked as he cast her a look. "You may not be the Queen anymore, but you're-"

"It's because Numa doesn't need me there." His mother stated. "He has been preparing for this all his life. He doesn't need his mother at his side."

Tatsumi didn't say anything. His mother was right.

"You, however..." She started causing him to shoot her another look. "Do."

"I do?" He said in a questioning manner, not understanding what she meant.

"Yep, you have been away from home for far too long, and I can tell that there are things that are troubling you right now." She declared with a firm expression.

"I'm not troubled," Tatsumi affirmed as he looked away prompting his mother to raise a doubtful eyebrow. "okay, maybe I might be bothered by somethings."

"Tell me what is bothering you." His mother stated in a tone that showed no signs of questioning.

"When I met Numa," He started with an expression that was devoid of emotion. "he had told me that father was willing to do anything just to see me again. He may have said them out of spite, but is that true? Was he seriously willing to do anything?"

"Numa wasn't lying." She confirmed with a sad smile. "Your father really did love you, and for years he would say things like, 'This was Tatsumi's favorite dish.' or 'This was his favorite book.' he really did miss you and wanted to see you again."

Tatsumi had done his best to hold back the tears, but he couldn't hold them all back. Several of them rolled down his cheeks.

"I wish I had come back sooner..." He confessed, no longer attempting to remove the weeds from the garden. "I really do."

"It's okay Tatsumi," His mother said in a comforting voice as she placed her hand on his back and gently rubbed it. "your back now, and I'm sure he has a big old grin up in heaven."

"... Yeah." Tatsumi replied after a while.

Noticing the sadness in his tone, his mother gave him a nudge and said to him as he looked at her. "Your father wouldn't want you to be sad, so you should turn that frown upside down."

At this, he smiled. His mother may have been born of nobility, and a queen, but she was still a mother.

"Okay, but is it alright if I ask you one more thing?" Tatsumi asked.

Of course, what is it?" She replied cheerfully.

"Why was father murdered?" He asked in a firm and serious tone.

"That..." She started as the happiness vanished from her face and was replaced by a grim expression. "I don't actually know. When we had found out that your father was sick, I had tried to find the motive, but I couldn't seem to find it. Your father was loved by the commoners and the nobles, so I couldn't see them wanting him gone, and your brother idolized him, so I couldn't see him killing him to take his place. It truly doesn't make any sense."

"... Do you think it could have been done by the Empire?" Tatsumi asked after several seconds of thinking.

"The Empire?" She said with a frown. "No, I don't think they would be behind it, I mean we have a good relationship with them, so I don't see why they would want him gone. In all honesty, I don't know why your father was killed."

Hearing this made him frown as well. The question had been on his mind for a while now, and he had suspected that his mother might know the reason behind it, but if she truly didn't know, then that meant the odds of him finding out were none.

* * *

"So..." Tatsumi started as he and Naofumi walked down the castle's rampart. "What do you think of Ylona so far?"

"It's not bad," Naofumi confessed as he glanced down at the group of Royal Guard trainees who were currently being trained by the Royal Guard Battlemaster. "the food isn't bad, but a lot of nobles have been inviting me to their homes and asking about how I met you as well as many other things."

"Really?" Tatsumi questioned with a bit of surprise as he cast him a look. He hadn't been able to speak with Naofumi or Theo as of recently due to him having to spend a large majority of his time in the throne room, so he didn't know what they've been up to in the meantime.

"Yeah," Naofumi affirmed as they passed under a tower that had couple guards and workers on it who were busy repairing a trebuchet. "it's getting a little annoying, and I would refuse these meetings, but I'm pretty sure it'd cause an uproar with them and cause a commotion."

"Maybe," Tatsumi replied after a couple seconds of contemplating it. "anyways how has Theo been? I would have asked if he wanted to join us on this walk, but he wasn't in his room."

"Theo has been..." He begun with a deeper scowl written on his face. "Well, Theo has been spending most of his time outside of the palace. I haven't talked to him that much, but apparently, on the second night of us being here, he went out drinking with a few of the guards and fell in love with what he claims to be a maiden."

"We're talking about the same _Theo_ , right?" Tatsumi asked, traces of doubt in his voice. "The same _Theo_ who traveled with us?"

"I know, I was surprised as well," Naofumi admitted with a teeny tiny grin. "but from what he claims the young girl has stolen his heart, she's a mercenary like him, is supposedly great with the sword."

"And here I thought he fell in love with a girl who works at a tavern," Tatsumi stated with a chuckle as they passed a group of guards who were patrolling the palace's wall.

"You weren't the only one who thought that," The black haired male said with his own laugh. "the way he talked about her it made her sound like she was this pure and innocent girl, but it turns out the girl is a sellsword like us."

"I wouldn't say we're sellswords anymore," Tatsumi confessed, a small frown forming on his face. "well, maybe you guys might be, but I'm not anymore. I'm a prince."

"... Are you happy being a prince?" Naofumi asked after a few seconds of silence while giving him a sideglance.

"... I don't know." He answered. "I am happy when I'm around most of my family, but I don't know if I'm actually happy right now. It's hard to say."

"Around most of your family?" Naofumi repeated, confusion latched to his voice. "Are you trying saying you don't like being around some of them?"

"... Kind of." Tatsumi admitted after a while. "I'm happy when I see Yuki, and my mother but when I see my younger brother Akihiko, all I get from him is a look I'd consider to be one of disgust. I don't know why he looks at me like that, and it might be my imagination, but it does bother me."

"Isn't he like ten years old?" Naofumi asked.

"Yeah, he's the youngest out of us." He confirmed. "... And when it comes to my older brother, I don't even know what to think. Sometimes I think he hates me, and sometimes I think he cares for me. I honestly don't know what goes on in his head when he sees me."

"Hmph, I don't know." Came the black-haired man's response as he scratched the side of his head. "I mean, maybe your little brother might be mad at you for leaving him? He was like, what? Five when you ran away?"

"Yeah, he was five when I fled." He said while contemplating the possibility. "But even then we weren't exactly close. The only one I'd say I was close to was my little sister, the rest I was on okay terms with."

"... Still, you are his older brother." Naofumi stated after a little silence passed between them. "You should probably talk to him about this, and find out what's bothering him, instead of talking to me about it.

"Yeah."

* * *

 **(Revan's AN): I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and I don't think I have much to say. I will admit, I do enjoy writing this version over the other one, so I would say expect some frequent updates, but that would fill your hopes, and it really just depends on my mood. The thought of having longer chapters have crossed my mind, but right now I'm content with the length they are now. Anyways, that is all I'll see you guys later.**

 **Link to the discord server:** discord .gg/ uDxVym8


	5. A Dance of Brothers

**(Revan's AN): I hope you all enjoy this chapter.**

 **Full Summary:** Tatsumi Seika, the second son of Kaito Seika, was a rebellious child. Unlike his siblings, he didn't care about the duties of a prince, and after being told that he was going to marry some noblewoman, he ran away from home. Now, after five years of being away, Tatsumi has finally returned.

 **Non-canon, single-pairing, OOC Characters.**

* * *

 _"Flashbacks" -_ **Thinking**

"Flashbacks" - _**Talking**_

 _[Flashbacks]_ **\- Letters or Reports.**

 **Theme Song: Rise, by The Glitch Mob, Mako, and The Word Alive.**

 **Main Writer:** Revan the Edgelord

 **Co-Writer:** None.

* * *

Tatsumi silently observed his younger brother's training from afar with his older brother.

The two of them would have been in the throne room, but Numa's Hand had forbidden them from entering by saying to them.

 _"You two have been working almost nonstop with no breaks, as your senior, I am ordering you both to take the day off and enjoy yourselves."_

Now Tatsumi didn't have any problems with this command, and had planned on spending his day off with Naofumi and Theo, but Numa had asked if he wanted to spend the day with him, so he agreed.

"He's good with the sword," Numa stated in a neutral tone. "his skills with it are better than his skills with the spear."

"Yeah," Tatsumi agreed as he watched his younger brother drive his opponent back. "you can definitely see the difference."

Numa didn't bother responding; he instead remained silent and continued to watch his brother.

"This is really awkward..." Tatsumi said to himself as he averted his attention away from his little brother. _"When he wanted to spend time with me, I had assumed we were going to spar or go out, not sit here in silence and watch Akihiko train..."_

After a few minutes of silence, Numa broke the silence.

"Remember what I had told you about a few days ago? About the group of nobles who don't want me sitting on the throne?" His brother said in an emotionless tone.

"Uh, yeah I remember, what about them?" Tatsumi questioned as he cast his twin a sideglance.

"I want your opinion on them." He demanded as he directed his attention towards Tatsumi. "They have of course pledged their allegiance to me, but several nobles that they have met with have sent me letters telling me about what they've said about me."

"Well, what have they said?" Tatsumi asked. He needed to know what was said before he could give Numa an answer.

"Mostly that I'm unfit to rule, and that I will abuse my powers." Numa replied as he looked back at his brother only to see his opponent knock the young prince on the ground.

"I see," The brown haired Seika said as he rubbed his chin and contemplated his response. After several seconds, he spoke his thoughts. "well, if you want my honest opinion then I think you shouldn't concern yourself with them. Sure, they may be saying these things, but I don't think it's enough for them to lose their heads."

"So let them talk bad behind my back?" Numa questioned with a tiny trace of anger in his voice.

"You're a _king_ ," Tatsumi replied, emphasizing on the word king. "your job is to rule the people and to make sure chaos never arises, and because you're a ruler there are obviously going to be some people who disagree with you. Now, I'm not saying to ignore what they say, but I am telling you that you shouldn't kill them because of them speaking their opinions."

"I know," His brother said as a sigh escaped his lips. "I didn't have any intentions of killing them. I was merely asking for your thoughts on the matter."

"Okay?" Tatsumi said with a bit of uncertainty.

After a couple more minutes of silence, Numa spoke again. "I'd like to have a duel."

"A duel? With who?" Tatsumi replied, completely taken back by the sudden comment.

"Yes a duel, and with you of course," Numa answered, a trace of amusement in his tone. "I am interested in seeing what you have learned over the years of being away, and I think it would be quite a sight."

"... I don't know." The younger Seika said in response as he averted his eyes away from his brother.

"What? Are you scared that you might injure me? Or are you afraid of losing?" Numa questioned with a small grin as he stared at his brother who had looked back at him.

"The former, you're the king after all." He confessed with a frown. He couldn't fight his brother, at least not seriously. If he did and injured his brother, then he would get into serious trouble.

"I insist we duel." Numa declared in a firm tone. "I want to see what kind of man you have become over the years, so let us spar."

"Okay..."

...

...

...

Word of Tatsumi and Numa having a duel had spread like wildfire, and it didn't take long for the training yard to be full of the palace's attendants as well as nobles.

Both brothers stood on the opposite side of the sparring ring from one another and because their clothing and armor were so different from one another some of the observers couldn't help from thinking that it was good versus evil with Tatsumi being the latter and Numa being the former.

"So who do you think is going to win?"

"Numa obviously, he is wielding Wolfsbane."

"I bet five gold that His Majesty Numa wins."

"Oh really? I bet-"

"You two shouldn't be betting on them, instead you should be watching their movements and learn from them."

"His Majesty is older than His Highness, and His Majesty has never lost a duel, he's partaken in several tournaments has never lost in them. I do not think His Highness can win this."

These were some of the things that the spectators said to one another as Tatsumi watched a few Royal Guards finish equipping Numa with his armor and weapons.

 _"This isn't going to be an easy fight..."_ Tatsumi thought as Numa donned a full helmet that had a purple feather on the top.

"Hey Tatsumi!" Came Theo's voice causing him to look to his left and see the green-haired warrior holding onto the railing with Naofumi next to him who had Falco resting on his shoulder.

Seeing that he got the youngest brother's attention, Theo continued. "I bet my entire purse on you, so you better not lose!"

Tatsumi had to do everything in his power to prevent himself from facepalming and calling the man a retard.

"Well then," His older brother started, his voice slightly muffled due to his helmet. "you heard the man, you can't lose, brother."

Tatsumi couldn't help from smirking a little as he pulled his hood over his head. "Yeah, I guess I can't, brother."

Silence filled the courtyard for a short amount of time, a silence that was soon interrupted by the sound of a horn, a horn signaled for them to begin.

Tatsumi didn't waste a second and had covered the distance between him and his brother. He lunged at him with his spear in his right hand, aiming for his brother's head.

"He's fast!" Some members of the crowd said in awe.

However, before the spear could reach its target, Numa moved his head to the right allowing the spear tip to go past him.

With that, the dance began.

Using the shield that was on his right arm, Numa knocked the spear away from his face and sent his own lunge at his brother who in response avoided the attack by sidestepping to his left.

Tatsumi didn't try to counter his brother, he instead tightened his grip on his weapon and put some distance between him and Numa.

The move was a smart one, for Wolfsbane's blade was long and curved allowing the wielder to wield the weapon as a giant cleaver.

He had avoided Numa's slash that could have ended the fight.

As Numa turned to face him, Tatsumi moved towards him again, his steps towards the raven hair Seika were long and agile, but the older brother wasn't a champion for nothing.

Blocking Tatsumi's lunge, Numa pushed forward while shoving Wolfsbane forward, his target was his brother's abdomen.

Again his brother had evade the attacked, but instead of darting away from him, Tatsumi used the end of his spear and struck Numa in the thigh.

Numa didn't release any pain filled grunts, but the strike did hurt.

"His Highness is very fast..." A Royal Guard muttered in awe as he watched Numa whirl around and block another strike.

"Yeah, but I don't think that will be enough for His Majesty." Spoke a maid who was standing next to him.

And the maid was right, despite Tatsumi being incredibly fast it wasn't cutting it.

He had planned on the first attack being the one to end it, and had planned on stopping right before the blade connected with Numa's helm, but to his surprise his brother had avoided the thrust as if he knew it was coming which had caught him off guard and caused him to send it past him.

"You're not bad brother..." Numa stated, his voice muffled from his helm as he moved to his left and shoved his spear forward at his younger brother.

Tatsumi didn't say anything in response as he deflected the weapon causing Numa to smirk.

"However..." Numa continued as he used his shield and blocked Tatsumi's incoming attacks.

"You're a couple years too early to beat me." Numa declared before changing his grip on his spear and swatting his brother's spear away.

With Tatsumi no longer having a weapon in his hands, Numa believed that he had won the fight and was going to force his little brother to yield, but to his surprise, Tatsumi didn't hesitate nor did he give up.

He instead acted on his instincts and evaded the incoming slash before lunging to his left and doing a combat roll.

Numa had tried to whirl around, but it was too late, Tatsumi had moved very quickly, and had wrapped his arms around Numa's waist and hoisted him up off of the ground before slamming him down onto it.

The landing had sounded painful, and several members of the crowd couldn't help from wincing and releasing a long 'ah' from their mouths.

However, Tatsumi didn't mount his brother after doing this, nor did he pick up Wolfsbane and force him to yield. Instead, he walked away from his brother and picked up his own spear, and said to him. "Arrogance will kill you."

"... I'm not done." Numa stated after slowly sitting up and looking at his brother who had his back turned against him. "I didn't yield, so the fight is still not over."

"... I yield then." Came Tatsumi's response after a couple seconds of silence, shocking not only his brother, but the entire crowd as well.

"Tatsumi!" Theo shouted in rage after quickly recovering from his surprise. "you can't yield! My entire purse is on the line I-"

"I'll pay you back, I'm done." Tatsumi interrupted as Falco landed on his shoulder.

With nothing else to be said, Tatsumi marched out of the sparring ring, leaving Numa speechless and a little bitter.

* * *

Closing the door behind him, Tatsumi released a sigh that he had been holding in for quite a while.

Falco, who could tell that his master was troubled squawked at him.

"I'm fine Falco." He answered as he walked over to his bed and placed his spear at the end of the bed. "... Well, I'm kind of okay. I'm just wondering if what I did back there was the best decision."

At this, the bird squawked again.

"What do you mean what am I talking about?" Tatsumi said as he sat down in a chair and sent the bird a look. "I'm talking about surrendering the fight to Numa. I'm starting to think that maybe I should have continued it instead of giving him the win even though he knows I won it."

The reason why he had not done anything else after throwing Numa to the ground was because he believed that he won the fight. He could have easily climbed on top of his brother and drew his dagger if he wanted to, or he could have picked up Wolfsbane and aimed it at his brother's throat but he didn't for he did not see the need.

He had taken down his brother, and if it had been a real fight he would have for sure finished it, but it wasn't so he had no point of continuing the fight.

Falco had squawked yet again, but before Tatsumi could respond there was a knock on the door followed by it being open.

Directing his attention to the entrance, Tatsumi was welcomed to the sight of his sister Yuki.

"Yuki, is there something you need?" He asked with a bit of surprise, from what he remembered his sister's lessons begin right now, so he was curious why she was here and not in the archives getting tutored.

"I heard you had a fight with Numa, so I canceled my lessons for today to see what happened." She answered, she hadn't left the doorway yet, due to her not being sure if she should enter the room. She may be a princess, but she's also his sister, and this was his private place.

"You shouldn't do that." Tatsumi said with a small frown as he looked at Falco and petted him. "Mother had paid good money for those old men to teach you, so you shouldn't cancel them, even if they're boring."

"... You've changed a lot over these years." Yuki replied after a couple seconds of silence as she entered the room closing the door behind her as she did so.

"Don't try to change the subject." He stated in a sterner tone than before.

"I'm not trying to, I'm just saying that you have changed." She confessed as she sat down on the other side of the small round table.

"Hmph." He huffed in response as he continued to pet Falco.

A small silence passed between the two siblings, but eventually it was broke by Tatsumi.

"How have I changed?" He questioned with a bit of curiosity in his voice.

"Well," She started as she looked away and at a painting that was of their father and him. "You're a lot more mature I'd say. You used to look all grumpy, but now you're not as grumpy, I guess I'd say you're more reserved?"

"Hmm," He hummed to himself as Falco got off of him and went to the large bird cage he had a servant get him. "well, I guess we have to grow up someday."

"... Yeah, I guess we do." Yuki agreed after a few seconds of silence.

"Anyways, I think you should go and tell your tutor that you have changed your mind, and that you would like to be taught today's lesson." He stated in a serious tone while giving her a solemn look that signified that he wasn't joking.

"Does it really matter?" Yuki questioned with a small frown as she gazed into her brother's eyes who had also begun to frown slightly as well. "I have lessons with him tomorrow, so it's not like I'm going to be missing much."

"It does matter," He declared, not showing any signs of agreeing with her. " as I've said before, our mother is paying good money for you to learn what they're teaching, you shouldn't miss these lessons. Besides, you never know when it might be someone's last day in this world."

"... That was a little dark what you just said right now." His sister confessed in a more serious tone than before.

"It probably was, but the fact remains that you'll never know what could happen in such a short time span," Tatsumi stated.

"Mmm, fine I'll go look for my teacher and tell him that I've changed my mind. Are you happy now Tatsumi?" She said in a voice that was close to yelling.

"Very," He replied in a smug like tone with a shit eating grin which only annoyed her more.

"Ugh, I hate you sometimes." She said before getting up and marching to the door. She just wanted to spend some time with him, but it seemed like he didn't care for that, or just didn't know that was her intention.

"Love you too Yuki." Tatsumi responded, unaware that she was annoyed with him.

Not even bothering to reply to her brother, Yuki walked out of the room leaving Tatsumi alone in it with his thoughts.

Later on that night, he had a dream.

A dream of a snowstorm swallowing the city Ylona whole.

* * *

 **(Revan's AN): And cut, well guys what do you think? I thought the chapter was pretty good, but that might have been just me who thinks that. Anyways, that probably was the last chapter of this arc, I might do another one soon, but I'm uncertain. With that being said, I'll end it here, that way you guys don't have to deal with my rambling, hope you enjoyed it and see you guys later.**

 **Link to the discord server:** discord .gg/ uDxVym8


	6. A Hunting Party's Accident

**(Revan's AN): I hope you all enjoy this chapter.**

 **Full Summary:** Tatsumi Seika, the second son of Kaito Seika, was a rebellious child. Unlike his siblings, he didn't care about the duties of a prince, and after being told that he was going to marry some noblewoman, he ran away from home. Now, after five years of being away, Tatsumi has finally returned.

 **Non-canon, single-pairing, OOC Characters.**

* * *

 _"Flashbacks" -_ **Thinking**

"Flashbacks" - _**Talking**_

 _[Flashbacks]_ **\- Letters or Reports.**

 **Theme Song: Rise, by The Glitch Mob, Mako, and The Word Alive.**

 **Main Writer:** Revan the Edgelord

 **Co-Writer:** None.

* * *

Tatsumi couldn't help from frowning as he, Naofumi, Theo, and a squad of the royal guards followed the trail that his younger brother and his hunting group had left behind.

He wasn't against looking for his little brother who had gone missing, but what was bothering him was what caused his brother to go missing.

This forest was home to danger beasts, that was true, but it wasn't home to anything that could take out a hunting party of forty people.

At first, he thought that there was a chance that a deadlier animal had decided to take up residence inside the forest, so he and his group had stopped and asked some of the huntsmen if there had been any changes in the forest, and if any groups have ended up going missing as of lately.

And their answers to his questions had left him troubled and confused. If there haven't been any groups going missing, or fewer danger beasts around, then what could have caused his little brother's group to go missing.

"Sergeant, have the group stay alert," Tatsumi stated as he cast the leader of the squad a glance. "something's not right."

"Understood, Your Highness, but if I may ask what do you believe is not right?" The Sergeant replied with a small look of confusion. Unlike the other royal guards, he didn't wear a helmet.

"Many things..." Tatsumi confessed as he tilted his head back, and looked up at Falco who had been flying high above them trying to spot out Tatsumi's party like Tatsumi had asked him to do. "Many, many things..."

Hearing that Tatsumi was bothered, Theo unsheathed his sword a little and checked to make sure that it was sharp as it could be while the sergeant ordered his men to stay alert.

The group continued to ride in silence, but eventually, the peacefulness was interrupted by Falco who screeched as loud as he possibly could before flying down.

"Falco saw something," Tatsumi stated as he held his hand up, signifying the group to come to a halt.

"What do you think he saw?" Naofumi questioned as he approached the prince from behind.

"I don't know, but we'll find out soon enough." Tatsumi responded as the giant bird finished lowering himself to their level.

...

...

...

After following the bird deeper into the forest, Tatsumi and his group entered a clearing where they were welcomed to the sight of a slaughter.

Scattered throughout the clearing were countless bodies, most of them appeared to be that of the royal guard, while there a handful of corpses of men wearing grey winter suits.

"This is His Highness' group." One of the royal guards said in horror after turning over one of the bodies that laid next to him. "This man was my friend, and he had talked about how he and his squad was going to be protecting His Highness and a group of nobles today in the barracks."

"You're not wrong," Naofumi commented causing Tatsumi to avert his attention to his friend. "if you look over there you can see the trail that we've m been following, looks like Falco took us through a shortcut."

"Look for survivors," Tatsumi commanded before walking towards one of the winter grey suited corpses.

Upon reaching him, Tatsumi flipped him over. Judging by his wounds and the expression he had on his face it looked like he had died by bleeding out.

"Hmm," Tatsumi hummed before he began to check the man's pockets for anything useful.

To his disappointment, the man had nothing useful which caused him to release a sigh before standing up. He then looked around and watched as some of his men checked the bodies of the men in grey suits, but upon seeing Naofumi he started to wonder what had gained the black-haired man's curiosity.

"Naofumi," Tatsumi called out as he approached him causing him to look over his shoulder at Tatsumi. "did you find something?"

"Yeah," Naofumi answered as he looked back ahead of him. "there's a bunch of footprints over here that lead into the forest."

"Really?" Tatsumi questioned after finishing his walk over to him only to end up seeing a large amount of footprints. "Nevermind, you're not kidding."

"Yeah," He affirmed with a deeper scowl. "so what do you think happened?"

"Well, judging by the corpses..." Tatsumi trailed off as he looked back at all of the scattered bodies. "I'd say that my brother's hunting party was ambushed by those men in grey suits, and they probably did have him, but somehow he was able to escape them causing them to run into the forest, leaving their friends that had been injured to die."

"I see," Naofumi said with a nod. "and who do you think these guys are?"

"That I don't know." The prince admitted with a small frown forming on his face. "At first, I assumed that they were apart of the Empire that is south of us, but I don't remember their soldiers wearing grey uniforms. Even when we were traveling the soldiers we saw wore white suits, so I don't know if it's them."

"Hmm, maybe it could be like a special squad or something?" Naofumi questioned as he glances at one of their corpses.

"Maybe, but we shouldn't linger here any longer. The longer we stay, the more likely my brother's been captured or worse. We need to get a move on, and we need to do it now."

* * *

After following the trail of footprints for almost an hour, Tatsumi and company arrived at a very large cave. However, they didn't enter the said cave, for at the entrance of it was nearly a dozen people wearing those grey suits that were completely identical to the ones that they saw earlier.

To there luck, it had began snowing making it nearly impossible for the guards at the entrance to see them, but on the downside, it also made it harder for them to see too.

"What's the plan, Your Highness?" The Sergeant questioned as he looked at Tatsumi who had been staring in the direction of the cave.

"I don't know yet, but we'll need to move soon." The prince confessed, his gaze never moving. "We don't know who these guys are, and what their goal is, so we need to stop them now while we have the element of surprise."

"Shouldn't we go and get some reinforcements?" One of the guards questioned who was a year or two older than Tatsumi. "We know where they are, so couldn't we-"

"That's a risk Tatsumi ain't willing to take buddy." Theo interrupted, gaining the attention of the other royal guards. "It would take us probably an hour to find another search party, and there is a chance they could use this snow to their advantage."

"He's right, we'll need to attack them now." Naofumi agreed with a small nod as he crossed his arms.

"The problem is that we don't know how many of them there are," Tatsumi confessed with a scowl. As much as he wanted to go in there and save his little brother, he didn't want to risk the lives of the people he's in charge of.

"Well, we need to do something!" Spoke another guard who was starting to get impatient. "We can't just sit here and do nothing."

"And die?" Theo stated a tinge of sarcasm in his voice. "For all, you know there could be a hundred men in there."

"So?" The man responded as he directed his attention to Theo. "Our job is to protect the royal family."

"That may be your job, but I'm not willing to throw away my life for someone who doesn't even know me." Theo stated causing the man along with a few other of the royal guards to release a growl of hostility.

"All of you stop." Tatsumi barked in a voice filled with authority as he averted his attention towards the men that stood behind him. "This isn't his duty, nor is my little brother his prince, so he doesn't have to assist unless he wants to. The same goes for Naofumi."

"But Your-"

Whatever was going to be said was silenced by the look Tatsumi gave him.

"Now that we got that settled, I ask you Theo to help me." Tatsumi continued his tone solemn and grim. "I need your assistance, and if you do help me rescue my brother I will grant you-"

"I'm in." Theo interrupted with a smile on his face that took Tatsumi by surprise. "If you need my help I'll help you, I just wanted to make it clear that I am only here because you asked me to be here."

"Th-Thank you?" Tatsumi said with a bit uncertainty, not sure how he was supposed to respond to that.

"So, I'm assuming you have a plan of action now?" Naofumi questioned, with the tiniest of grins written on his face.

"The only one I think of is to attack the cave." The prince answered as he looked a the raven-haired male. "there's a chance the cave could get smaller, and that could work in our favor, so if we can get in there, then there's a chance we could save my little brother."

"And what if they try to use your little brother to make us surrender?" Theo asked in a serious tone. "What's the plan then?"

"We don't, the second we do we'll be killed, so we'll have to assume they're bluffing and gamble his life." Tatsumi stated in an emotionless voice.

This didn't sit easy with the royal guards, and Tatsumi knew that, but if they were going to rescue his little brother, then they were going to have to take some chances.

"Wait for me Falco, I'll be back soon." Tatsumi whispered to the bird on his shoulder causing Falco to squawk before flying away and landing on one of the tree's branches above them.

With that said, Tatsumi took his spear off of his back, and averted his attention back to the cave. "I wish you all the best of luck in this soon to be battle, and if it is possible, try not to die."

After finishing that statement, the black-robed prince ran through the bushes that concealed them and charged at the people who stood watch outside of the cave.

Not long after doing this the men who were under his command followed him with their swords and shields in hand.

* * *

Upon returning to the royal palace, and asking a couple of the guards where his brother Numa was, Tatsumi marched straight to his brother's studies with a firm expression on his face.

He along with his companions and royal guards had managed to rescue his brother, but it had come at a cost. Most of the royal guards were killed, with only two of them surviving, and Theo had received a blow to the head making him no longer being able to see through his right eye.

It was unfortunate, and Tatsumi had promised Theo that he would be rewarded for his actions, but for the time being, that would have to wait for he needed to speak to his brother.

Pushing open one of the double doors, Tatsumi practically shouted his brother's name causing the guards who stood watch to jump, and Numa who was so focused on writing something to jump in his chair.

"Tatsumi?" Numa said after recovering from his surprise. "You're already back? Did you find Akihiko?"

"Yeah, he's fine, but that's not important right now, right now we need to talk." Tatsumi said as he closed the door behind him and walked over to his brother.

"... Okay, what do we need to talk about?" Numa said with a bit uncertainty, he was more curious about their younger brother's condition, but he assumed that whatever it is that Tatsumi was going to tell him was related to that.

"In a few weeks, the Empire is going to lay siege to Ylona." Tatsumi stated causing his brother's eyes to widen. "How do I know this, well because Akihiko's party was attacked by soldiers of the Empire. Their leader had managed to get away, but he had made it clear that he and his mistress would be back and that Ylona would become nothing but dust."

"...Are you sure about this?" Numa questioned after a few seconds of silence. The way his brother talked made it hard for him to doubt him, but he needed to be sure that Tatsumi was telling the truth.

"I am one hundred percent sure," Tatsumi affirmed. "the party that we engaged was a scouting party, and apparently the reason why they attacked our brother's hunting party was because they saw an opportunity. They were doing a reconnaissance mission, but had caught wind that our brother was going hunting today, so they decided to try capturing him before returning to their commander."

"I see, this is very troubling and unexpected as well," Numa confessed with a frown.

"I know, I thought we were on good terms with the Empire." Tatsumi stated with his own frown.

"we are, which is why I'm a little taken back by this." Numa confirmed.

"Well, shouldn't we start preparing for war?" The brown haired Seika questioned. "They're going to be here in a few weeks, so we need to get ready for this."

"... Yeah, we should." Numa said with a bit of reluctance. "Tatsumi I need you to go tell my Hand to call the banners, we don't know how big this army is, so we need all of them."

"Understood, I will do that right away." Tatsumi said before running out of the room.

Once Tatsumi had exited the room, Numa released a breathe that he had been holding in for a while and asked himself. "You've seriously changed over the years Tatsumi."

* * *

 **(Revan's AN): And so it begins, I had originally planned on doing the fight scene, but I had decided not to. Maybe I'll do a flashback of it? Anyways, Tatsumi has kind of showed that personality he shows only Falco at the end there, very talkative and no care for his status as a prince. I hope this time I'll enjoy the arc, I feel this build up was good, and that is for sure nice. Sorry, it's a shorter chapter, but I felt like this should be the ending of Arc 1, so with that said, I'd like to announce that this arc is done, and that we officially begin the War in Espera Arc. I'll be going now, so see you guys later.**

 **Link to the discord server:** discord .gg/ uDxVym8


	7. The Battle On The Ramparts

**(Revan's AN): I hope you all enjoy this chapter.**

 **Full Summary:** Tatsumi Seika, the second son of Kaito Seika, was a rebellious child. Unlike his siblings, he didn't care about the duties of a prince, and after being told that he was going to marry some noblewoman, he ran away from home. Now, after five years of being away, Tatsumi has finally returned.

 **Non-canon, single-pairing, OOC Characters.**

* * *

 _"Flashbacks" -_ **Thinking**

"Flashbacks" - _**Talking**_

 _[Flashbacks]_ **\- Letters or Reports.**

 **Theme Song: Rise, by The Glitch Mob, Mako, and The Word Alive.**

 **Main Writer:** Revan the Edgelord

 **Co-Writer:** None.

* * *

Tatsumi stood before his ancestor's statue with his head lowered, eyes closed, and his hands clasped in front of him. He wasn't one for praying, but he was asking his ancestor to give him strength in the war to come which was about to begin very soon.

He had many questions on his mind, like why is the Empire attacking them, but for now, those questions were going to have to wait. Some of the questions that he had were answered, but those answers had came at a cost.

The cost was the lives of Esperans, his people.

After finding out that the Empire's forces had entered their country, Numa had dispatched some of their best scouts to find out who was leading them, and how many men were they fighting.

What they had discovered was that their Commander was none other than the Empire's Strongest, General Esdeath, and that she was leading a force that was about one hundred thousand strong which wasn't even one half of the Esperan army.

It was a surprise, and many of the army's leaders talked about how this was going to be an easy win, but Tatsumi had a few doubts.

He didn't know really much about General Esdeath except that she has this Teigu that allows her to control ice, but he had a few doubts that it was real, but then he also doubted she would march her army up here if she wasn't confident in their abilities.

As he continued to think about the soon to be war, Tatsumi's thoughts soon drifted towards his family.

Numa had planned on sending them to Haven, a castle that was up in the Shiranami mountains, but his siblings and their mother rejected the idea and had told him that they plan on staying here in Ylona.

Now, Tatsumi saw this as idiotic, and had immediately sided with his older brother, but their response to his complaints was that they were family and that family sticks together, no matter what.

It annoyed him greatly, and every day he tried to convince them to see reason, but so far none of them have given in, and listen to his request of retreating to Haven.

"So this is where you are." Came Numa's voice from behind him causing Tatsumi to look over his shoulder and see his brother wearing his armor with his helmet in his hand, and Wolfsbane in the other.

"Yeah..." Tatsumi responded as he averted his attention back to the statue of the first Seika. "I'm asking our ancestor to give us strength in this war."

"I didn't know you believed in that stuff," Numa said in surprise as he approached his younger brother.

"I don't really," Tatsumi admitted as he tilted his head back and stared at the face of his ancestor who had a proud expression. "but I didn't see the harm in trying this stuff. After all, today could be my last day in this world."

"you shouldn't say stuff like that," Numa said almost immediately.

"I'm a realist Numa, and in war, things happen," Tatsumi said as his lips curved slightly downwards. "I could take a sword to the back, I could take an arrow to the head, or I could be crushed by a catapult's boulder. That's what happens in war, not all of us will make it back."

"We'll make it back though," Numa affirmed as he put Wolfsbane in his other hand and grabbed ahold of Tatsumi's shoulder. "we have to make it back."

"... Why do you think they're attacking us?" Tatsumi asked after a couple seconds of silence as he looked at his brother.

"That..." Numa started as he averted his attention to the statue. "That, I don't know really. I've been asking myself this for a while, and I just can't seem to find the reason. We've been allies with them for a very long time, and have assisted them in the past, so what would they gain by attacking us? It just doesn't make any sense."

"Perhaps we can find these answers we seek at the end of all this?" Tatsumi said with a chuckle. "I sure as hell want to know what all this death was for."

"I do too, I do too..." Numa said with a sadness in his voice. He had planned for so many things, and had wanted to rule a peaceful nation, but the Empire wasn't going to let him, and that angered him.

"... How many do you think are going to die today?" Tatsumi questioned after a while.

"Tens of thousands, tens of thousands are going to die. However, we won't be among those people." Numa answered as he continued to stare at the statue.

"You sound confident," Tatsumi admitted with a small smile.

"I am, you had beat me in the fight, and I am considered to be one of the strongest warriors in Espera, so highly doubt you'll die on the field of battle." Numa declared as he looked at his brother.

"thanks, your words do bring me comfort." Tatsumi confessed as he looked away.

"... We should probably head to the battlements. I doubt it will be long before the first battle begins." Numa stated.

"Alright, lead the way brother."

* * *

Upon arriving at the outer wall of Ylona, Tatsumi was greeted by hundreds of soldiers, all of whom were busy doing something productive.

Some of them were carrying barrels of pitch to the top of the wall, some of them were carrying quivers upon quivers full of arrows to the top, and some of them were bringing lumber to reinforce the large gate.

This was being done all across the Southern wall, and Tatsumi couldn't help from feeling just a little bit nervous. He had done many jobs, as a mercenary, but not once had he stepped into an actual warzone for it had too many variables.

Unfortunately, he didn't have much of a choice in the matter now. He couldn't turn tail and run; he had to fight to protect the people he loved.

As someone from the top of the wall shouted to bring up more oil, Numa turned to his brother and said to him. "I am going to go speak with Battlemaster Maccabeus real quick and Battlemaster Altman, wait for me here at the top of the wall, okay?"

"Where are they?" Tatsumi questioned with a frown. "And shouldn't the Royal Battlemaster be here guarding you?"

"They're at the Southwest gate making sure everything's all set up there, don't worry I won't be long." Numa reassured before walking away, leaving Tatsumi by himself.

As Tatsumi stood there in silence, several of the soldiers began to talk about him. Most of them said words like, "It's Prince Tatsumi." or something like, "His Highness is going to be fighting alongside us?"

Feeling embarrassed for some reason, Tatsumi pulled his hood over his head and said to himself. _"I really wish I had Falco with me right now."_

Deciding not to stand there and do nothing, the brown-haired prince walked over to the wall, and headed up to the steps to wait for the enemies arrival.

Upon arriving at the top of the battlements, he was greeted by the sight of soldiers transporting oil, rocks, rifles, arrows, and spears from one place to another. Some of the soldiers didn't do anything and stood with their longbows ready waiting for the enemy to come, while a few had rifles out and at ready to fire.

"Your Highness," Came a voice causing Tatsumi to avert his attention to the left and see the Sergeant who he had led a few weeks ago approaching him with a squad of royal guards right behind him.

The man had been promoted to Lieutenant if Tatsumi remembered correctly due to the bravery he displayed when rescuing his brother, and was pretty good with a sword.

"Lieutenant Iguchi," Tatsumi greeted with a bit of surprise. "What are you doing here? I thought the Royal Guard had been assigned to reinforcements?"

"Most of the Royal Guard is, but word had spread that you and His Majesty were going to be on the frontlines, so Commander Yeager had ordered a squad to wait for you both at each gate." The black silvery black haired male said in response.

"I see," Tatsumi said with a slow nod. Commander Yeager was the man in charge of the Royal Guard, and was a renowned warrior just like the Royal Battlemaster, and was rumored to be on par with him, but the two had never dueled, so no one knows if the rumor was true.

"Anyways, we have been assigned to assist and protect you both, Your Highness." The Lieutenant declared with a firm look as his subordinates nodded their heads in agreements.

"Understood, my brother Numa though is currently at the Southwest gate, but it shouldn't be long before he-"

Just then Tatsumi's voice was drowned out by the sound of several horns being blown. Averting his attention to the fields, Tatsumi saw thousands upon thousands of figures appearing on the horizon.

"They're here..." Tatsumi muttered as he saw siege engines appear as well.

The Lieutenant didn't say anything; he just nodded his head in agreement.

As more and more appeared in Tatsumi's vision, the brown-haired prince couldn't help from thinking about the question he had asked his brother.

 _"How many people were going to die here today?"_

* * *

As Esdeath strode to the front of her army, she couldn't help from grinning.

Today was a great day for a battle.

After weeks of traveling, and occasionally destroying a village, they had finally arrived at their destination, Ylona.

She had suspected that Numa would have assembled his army, and met her on the field of battle, but to her surprise, he didn't. Instead, he gathered his forces and had made Ylona his stronghold.

She didn't mind this though, for it was much more humiliating to lose a fort, especially when the said fort has double your numbers.

"Ah, today is going to be a wonderful day, don't you think so my lovely beasts?" She said aloud as she had her horse come to a stop at the head of her army.

"Yes, my lady." Spoke the three men who wore black suits. The oldest of them had long silver hair, a mustache, and a short sword attached to his waist, while the youngest had a flute in his hands, shorts, and blonde hair with a devil tail and headdress. The third one was tall, had dirty blonde hair, muscular, and had a battleaxe strapped to his back.

"I wonder what we should do first." She said with a small frown as she stared at the walls. "I am half tempted to just lay siege, but they do have the advantage over us, and I don't really want to end this war on the first day."

"Then might I suggest you start this battle off, my lady?" The silver-haired man named Liver questioned.

"Hmm, maybe I-" Esdeath started only to pause when seeing one of the enemy's trebuchets firing. "-Nevermind, I guess they want to start this off by firing what looks like a warning shot."

As the large rock came closer and closer, Esdeath got off of her white stallion and took a couple steps forward before crouching down and grinning.

"Let me fire a warning shot as well."

* * *

Tatsumi's jaw dropped at what he saw. He had ordered a trebuchet due to them being in range and was trying to install fear into the enemy, but before the boulder could even hit the enemy forces, a massive pillar of ice sprung from the ground and decimated the rock.

"What... What just happened!?" Questioned several soldiers who stood by him, completely baffled at what just happened.

"I-" Before Tatsumi could finish the statement, several things flew by him and before he could process what had gone by him the people around him began to release agonizing screams.

Turning his head frantically, Tatsumi saw several of the men who were at his side on the ground clutching massive icicles that had been impaled into them. Some of them, however, didn't release blood curling screams, instead, they just laid there on their backs with lifeless eyes.

"What..." Tatsumi said in a dumbfounded manner, still not able to comprehend what had just happened in the past ten seconds.

"Your Highness get down!" Lieutenant Iguchi shouted as he pulled the prince down to the ground, who also happened to be unscathed.

Not long after being pulled to the ground did icicles whizz past his head and impale more of the men around him who had yet to duck and seek cover.

Tatsumi stared at the stone tiles in front of him with a frown. Was this the work of General Esdeath? He had heard the rumors and of course, had some doubts about this Teigu that she wields, but not once did he think that it would grant her the abilities to do things like this.

"Your Highness, are you alright?" The Lieutenant questioned causing the prince to snap out of his deep thinking and look at the man.

"I'm... I'm fine, I was just a little taken back by what just happened." He confessed.

"You're not the only one, sir!" One of the Lieutenant's subordinate's shouted who was also on the ground like everyone else.

"Damn it, how are we-"

Whatever Lieutenant Iguchi was going to say was cut off by the sound of hundred thousand souls screaming along with dozens upon dozens of horns being played.

Grabbing his spear that laid at his side, Tatsumi used it to help him get up. In all honesty, he was scared, and had kind of just wanted to lay on the ground, but he had a duty to fulfill. He needed to show that he wasn't afraid of this storm that was coming at them.

"Your Highness-"

"Get up!" Tatsumi roared at the top of his lungs, not allowing fear to take control of him. "The enemy is marching towards us as we lay here cowering in fear, you all need to get up and defend your homes alongside me!"

Even though he didn't have any traces of terror in his voice, several of them refused to get off of their bellies.

"If you all lay there, then you will die!" Tatsumi shouted as he looked at the men who didn't get up. "You need to fight, the enemy is on their way, stop being coward and rise!"

* * *

As Esdeath lowered her spyglass, a small frown formed on her face.

"Daidara," She said in a neutral tone. "you said the man who had stopped you from bringing me the third prince was a man wearing black clothing, right?"

"Yes, my lady, if I remember correctly his name was Tatsumi. One of his comrades had called out his name before taking a blow to the head for him." Daidara answered.

"Hmm, there is a man that matches that description at the South gate who appears to be shouting at the soldiers," Esdeath said as the Esperans finally fired their first volley of boulders. "and if I remember correctly, there was a prince named Tatsumi. Do you think that these two people are the same?"

"It could be possible, my lady." Daidara said in response.

"I thought Tatsumi Seika had gone missing five years ago?" The shortest member of the Three Beasts said with a frown.

"He did," Liver confirmed. "but there is a chance that he could have returned."

"I'm going to be joining the battle soon." Esdeath abruptly said as she dismounted from her horse again. "I want you my lovely beast to take down the South gate, understood?"

"Yes, my lady." The three said in unison as Esdeath walked away back towards her camp to go get something real quick.

* * *

"Keep them off the wall!" Tatsumi yelled as he used his spear to remove a grappling hook. "I repeat keep them off of the wall!"

It had been twenty minutes since the barrage of icicles, and since then they had not seen a single shred of ice come towards the wall.

Tatsumi was worried about this, and had wondered if perhaps that had paid a toll on Esdeath's body, but he doubted that was what happened. General Esdeath was the Empire's Strongest for a reason, and he suspected that reason was because of her Teigu.

"Your Highness, look!" Lieutenant Iguchi shouted causing Tatsumi to whirl around and see him pointing his sword at a siege tower that was right about to be up against the wall.

Seeing this made him grit his teeth. He hadn't gotten over what he had seen earlier and seeing some of his men get crushed by boulders didn't help, but he couldn't let that fear control him. No matter what he had to keep this brave face on. If he showed signs of terror, then the men's morale would break and they could possibly lose this battle.

It was annoying in his mind, for he had partaken in countless fights, but this was different. This was by far very different.

"Lieutenant, with me!" Tatsumi ordered, pushing back the negative thoughts that flooded his mind. "We need to repel the attackers!"

"Understood, Your Highness!" The Lieutenant shouted in response before averting his attention to his squad. "Men let's go, follow your prince!"

As Tatsumi charged toward where the siege tower would land, several arrows flew past him, some of them taking the soldiers lives around him.

Looking to his left slightly, Tatsumi saw a boulder come propelling towards the walls and watched it as it flew over his head and into the city. In truth, this was chaos, and he didn't know how he was able to act like he wasn't afraid, but that didn't matter, for upon reaching the siege tower's destination the ramp of it lowered, revealing dozens upon dozens of enemy soldiers.

"Kill them all!" One of the Empire's soldiers shouted as they leaped onto the wall, cutting down a few Esperans in the process, and taking some arrows too while they're at it.

As more and more enemies emerged from the siege tower, Tatsumi charged into the skirmish and began to slaughter Esdeath's forces.

He stabbed, slashed, bashed, and pushed nearly everyone who wasn't an Esperan.

Some of the enemies did put up a fight, but none of them were a match for his skills with a spear.

As Tatsumi cut down more and more of his foes, some of his men began to shout his name as if that was the rallying cry.

Tatsumi, however, didn't pay really any attention to this, he was far too preoccupied on his opponents.

After chopping down another soldier of the Empire, Tatsumi shouted at the top of the lungs. "Take down that siege tower!"

It didn't take long for the command to reach the people on the balistas, and after turning them to face the tower, the balistas began to fire at it.

Meanwhile, Tatsumi and his men continued to kill any enemy who dared to set foot on top of the wall.

Not long after this command reached the balista users did the siege tower fall, and upon it falling did the Esperans release a cry of victory.

They had repeled the enemy forces, they had won this-

"Watch out!" Someone cried before something crashed into the wall, causing Tatsumi along with pretty much everyone to fall onto the ground.

"Ugh..." Tatsumi groaned, his hood had fallen back, revealing his facial features and his eyes felt very heavy.

As he turned over to his belly, he heard something not that far from him release a roar followed by what sounded like a woman laughing. It was strange, for some reason his ears was only processing that.

Looking around a little, Tatsumi located his spear and crawled over to it, unaware of what was going on behind him.

Upon reaching his spear, someone grabbed ahold of his arm and began to help him up and as the man did so, Tatsumi was able to hear what the man was saying.

"Your Highness, we need to go! We need to-" However before the man could finish the statement he took an icicle to the chest causing him to go crashing into the ground.

Tatsumi looked over his shoulder, and upon turning his head he was welcomed to the sight of a woman and what looked like to be a dragon. The dragon had black scales and was massive, it's back was turned against him and in its mouth was a person.

The woman had long light blue hair, and wore an outfit that was somewhat similar to the enemy's attire. The difference being was that it was white, and was something a general would wear. She had an officer's cap on, and a blue scarf as well, but what really drew his attention was the smile she had on her face.

It was the smile of a psychopath.

In her hands was a rapier, and from what it looked like, she appeared to be waiting for him to get to his feet.

"General Esdeath..." He said in a low tone, that somehow reached her ears.

"The one and only." She said, her smile never wavering. "Come, Prince Tatsumi, let me see what you got."

Tatsumi didn't say anything, his attention had shifted towards the men laying down on the ground next to the two of them. Most of them were dead, but there were a few who were alive and unconscious, Lieutenant Iguchi being one of them.

Seeing his attention move from her to the men around them, she laughed. "If you don't fight me, they're going to die. It won't take long for my pet to deal with the men behind me."

Again, Tatsumi was silent. A part of him wanted to run, but another part of him wasn't allowing that to happen.

That part of him was his pride. If he ran now, then he could never look anyone in the eyes again.

Staring into her blue eyes, Tatsumi rose to his feet, and entered a fighting stance with the end of his spear towards the sky, and the blade pointed down at the ground. He didn't bother putting his hood back over his head.

At this Esdeath's grin widened. "That's a nice look you're giving me, I wonder how long it will last!"

As she said the last part, she darted forwards with her rapier aimed at his chest.

Tatsumi blocked the attack, but to his surprise, he had slid back a couple feet, but he didn't let that surprise stop his movements. No, instead he moved towards her while twirling his spear before launching his own attack.

Esdeath blocked the attack with ease, but was unable to launch a counterattack for Tatsumi had decided to go on the assault.

He had spun his spear this way and that way, using all different kinds of forms of attacks on her, not giving her a chance to attack him.

From what it looked like, it looked like Tatsumi was winning the fight due to him being the one on offense, but in reality, he wasn't.

Esdeath was easily blocking his attacks and there were some of them where she avoided them entirely by moving out of the way, but that didn't stop him.

 _"You can't keep blocking forever."_ He said to himself as he swung his spear causing her to lean back and evade the attack. _"Sooner or later, you're going to slip up."_

* * *

"Push!" Numa roared before cutting down an Imperial and looking at the wall of Esperans.

"Hurrah!" Shouted the Esperans in unison as they pressed their shields against the enemy's shields.

One of the towers between the Southwest and South gate had somehow been overrun by the Empire's forces, making it impossible for Numa to reunite with his brother, but finally, they were gaining something.

He didn't know how they had taken the tower, and would have contemplated it, but unfortunately, he didn't have the luxury to do that. The Southern gate was getting hit the hardest, and he needed to find his brother before something bad happened to him.

Numa knew his brother was alright, he just knew, but something inside of him was telling him that Tatsumi is in grave danger and needs help.

"Push!" He roared again.

"Hurrah!" The men shouted in unison again.

After several more commands, the wall of Imperials broke, and the Esperans were able to storm the tower and begin cleansing it of enemy forces.

Numa wasted no time in it though, and pushed and shoved people out of his way along with his guards.

Once he got through the tower, Numa cut down a few more Imperials before seeing a battering ram approach the Southern gate.

A frown formed on his face, he needed to make sure that the battering ram was stopped, but he couldn't afford to at the moment. He needed to make sure Tatsumi was okay.

Deciding to focus on his brother, Numa moved past Esperans and Imperials, not bothering to stop and helping any of the soldiers who needed aid.

Eventually, after about three minutes of running and avoiding arrows, Numa arrived at his brother's location and was welcomed to the sight of Tatsumi on his knees with his left arm holding onto his right arm, a woman with her sword pointed at Tatsumi's throat, and a dragon that stood behind them burning Esperans and Imperials alive.

"Tatsumi!" Numa shouted before throwing Wolfsbane at the woman and picking up a sword and charging her.

* * *

 **(Revan's AN): Mmm, I think this was good, yes? I mean, I think there might have been a mistake or two here and there, but I couldn't seem to spot it. Anyways, it doesn't matter that much. I hope you enjoyed, I did enjoy it, and although the fights weren't detailed, I'd like to believe I captured a war scene decently. Maybe could have detailed it better, but whatever.**

 **Link to the discord server:** discord .gg/ uDxVym8


	8. A Book With Love In It

**(Revan's AN): I hope you all enjoy this chapter.**

 **Full Summary:** Tatsumi Seika, the second son of Kaito Seika, was a rebellious child. Unlike his siblings, he didn't care about the duties of a prince, and after being told that he was going to marry some noblewoman, he ran away from home. Now, after five years of being away, Tatsumi has finally returned.

 **Non-canon, single-pairing, OOC Characters.**

* * *

 _"Flashbacks" -_ **Thinking**

"Flashbacks" - _**Talking**_

 _[Flashbacks]_ **\- Letters or Reports.**

 **Theme Song: Rise, by The Glitch Mob, Mako, and The Word Alive.**

 **Main Writer:** Revan the Edgelord

 **Co-Writer:** None.

* * *

 _"You are strong, Prince Tatsumi. Had the circumstances been different I might have considered offering you a place in my army, but unfortunately for you, these are our circumstance, so you have to die now. Don't fret though, your death will be a painless one."_

 _..._

 _..._

 _..._

 _"Tatsumi!"_

 _..._

 _..._

 _"Touch my brother, and I'll kill you."_

 _..._

 _..._

 _..._

 _"He's alive, Your Majesty, his pulse is weak, but he's alive."_

 _"I want him moved to his room immediately, and I want that door guarded day and night twenty-four hours a day. No one is allowed to enter unless they have my seal, am I understood?"_

 _..._

 _..._

* * *

Upon his eyes fluttering open, Tatsumi was welcomed to the sight of his bedroom's ceiling.

He blinked a few times, and had noticed almost immediately that he was half naked with his upper body being covered in bandages.

 _"I can only assume we won the battle since I'm alive."_ He said to himself as he continued to stare at the ceiling.

He couldn't remember much, and he didn't know how many days it been since he had engaged Esdeath, but what he could remember was her looking down at him with a sadistic smile on her face, and someone shouting his name. Everything else was pretty much a blur.

With a frown forming, Tatsumi sat up, and winced in the process due to some abdominal pain.

"Grrrh, that wasn't a pleasant feeling at all." He said through gritted teeth, he had thought of getting out of the bed, but because of him being a prince the bed was pretty big, and it would require some crawling to get off of it.

Looking at the bandages that wrapped around his arm, Tatsumi contemplated removing them to see his wounds.

With curiosity winning, he grabbed ahold of the white cloth and was about to begin unwrapping them when all of the sudden one of the double doors to his room opened revealing a young woman who wore a nurse's attire.

She had long silky black hair, green eyes that looked like emeralds, and sun-kissed skin that was a rare sight to see in Espera. She had an hourglass figure, and her left eye was covered by her hair, but he was able to catch a glimpse of the eye that was hiding underneath it. On the right side of her face, just a little above her lips was a beauty mark that also seemed to increase her attractiveness.

Seeing this woman caused Tatsumi's heart to skip a beat, he had never seen her before in his life, and he had to admit she was quite the beauty.

The woman upon seeing Tatsumi gasped in surprise before falling to her knees, and saying, "Your Highness, my apologies I didn't know that you were up."

"It's fine..." He responded, a little taken back that she was kneeling.

"I should go fetch the doctor and His Majesty, they told me to-" She said out loud as she rose to her feet and quickly turned around.

"Wai-agh!" Tatsumi started as he stretched his left arm out towards her only to gasp in pain and put his hand over his abdomen.

"Your Highness!" The nurse cried out as she turned around and quickly ran over to the side of the bed. "You shouldn't exert yourself, you need to rest." She continued upon reaching the bed.

"I'm fine." He said as he attempted to get out of the bed, but was stopped by the nurse.

"Who are you trying to fool?" She questioned as she stared at him sternly causing him to look at her with surprise. He was a prince, and yet this lady had addressed him in a manner that would have for sure caused an uproar.

"I-I.." He stammered, not knowing how to respond.

"You may be royalty, Your Highness, but you're my patient that I'm taking care of, and I'm telling you to lay down and rest, so lay down and rest." She stated with a firm look that again made him speechless.

"Un-Understood, but if you don't mind could you please hold off on getting the doctor or my brother? I have some questions that I want to ask you." Tatsumi said as he laid back down.

"I'm sorry, but I was-"

"Please," Tatsumi interrupted with a look that made it very difficult to deny his request.

"F-Fine, but after that I'm going to go inform His Majesty and the doctor, understood?" She had hesitated at first and had wanted to not give in to his request, but the eyes he was giving her had made it go from very difficult to impossible.

When she had been told that she was going to be Prince Tatsumi's personal nurse, she couldn't help from dreading it a bit. There had been many rumors about him, and a good majority of them were nothing, but negativity. Now, she didn't know if it was the truth, but it was true that rumors hold some truth, so there had to be a part of it that was true, right?

However, upon seeing him act like this, she wasn't sure if there was any truth in these negative rumors about him. He wasn't this pale-skinned man with red eyes, nor was he this man who gave off this intimidating presence. He was, in fact, the opposite of them, and if she was being honest with herself, she found him to be quite cute and handsome.

"Understood, and thank you." He said with a small smile.

"... So what do you want to ask me, Your Highness?" She asked after a few seconds of silence.

"Well, I was wondering if you could tell me what happened after the battle?" Tatsumi requested in a polite manner.

"From what I heard their General had called in a retreat, apparently after His Majesty came to your rescue, they had decided to fall back. I apologize if this wasn't the answer you were looking for, but that's all I know really." She stated with a serious expression.

"I see, by chance do you also know how many of our forces were killed?" The prince question as a small frown formed on his face.

"From what I have heard it was around ten to fifteen thousand." She answered.

"Ten to fifteen thousand..." Tatsumi muttered in shock as he looked away.

"Yes, it is truly a tragedy." The nurse said as she looked down.

"... Alright, I have one last question for you." Tatsumi declared after nearly a minute of laying there.

"What is it, Your Highness?" She asked.

"Can I know the name of the lovely woman who has been taking care of me?" Tatsumi asked in a serious tone as he stared into her green eyes.

"My name?" She said, completely taken back by the question.

"Yes, I'd like to know your name if you don't mind." He stated, his tone and expression firm, showing no signs of joking.

"It is Farah, Your Highness, Farah Hassan." She said with a tinge of pride in her voice.

Tatsumi didn't say anything at first, but eventually he did, and when he spoke, he said to her.

"What a beautiful name."

...

...

...

Not long after Farah left to go get the doctor did Tatsumi's family come running into his room, specifically his younger sister Yuki.

"Tatsumi!" She cried out with tears flowing down her cheeks as she jumped onto the bed and wrapped her arms around his neck causing him to release cries of pains.

"Ow! Ow! You're hurting me!" He whined while grimacing.

"Sorry!" Yuki said as she immediately let go of her older brother. "I'm just... I'm just so relieved to see you up."

"Thanks," Tatsumi said with a small smile before averting his eyes towards his remaining family members who had walked up to the side of the bed.

"How are you feeling?" His older brother asked with a solemn expression on his face.

"Could be better." Was his response before looking at his younger brother who was currently looking at the ground. "Is something wrong Akihiko?"

At this, his younger brother's eyes shifted upwards for a split second before reverting back to the position they were in before.

"... Akihiko just hasn't been sleeping well." His mother answered as she put her hands on his shoulders. "Ever since he heard that you were injured he's been having terrible nightmares."

"I see," Tatsumi said in a slow manner. When he had rescued him from the Empire's forces, Tatsumi had noticed that Akihiko started to talk less and less. It was a tragedy, for sure, and Tatsumi was pretty sure it was because of shock, but there wasn't anything he could do about it really. He wasn't a counselor or anything like that.

"anyways, Numa do you mind telling me what happened? All I remember was fighting Esdeath." He was going to say that he had asked the nurse for an explanation, but he wasn't sure how Numa would react, and because of this he decided it would be better to not mention that part.

"Right, well, when I arrived at your location I saw Esdeath staring down at you with a smile. I called out to you, and threw my spear at her, but upon doing so you fell over, I thought she had quickly killed you, but it turns out you lost consciousness." Numa stated with a solemn look.

"And after that?" Tatsumi asked with a slight frown.

"I threatened that I'd kill her and then she laughed at that before deciding to call for a retreat. Said something like it was too early to be killing princes, I truly didn't understand why though, the battle had basically just started." Numa continued as his own frown formed on his face.

"What a strange woman..." Tatsumi said aloud as he looked away from his family. "I didn't want to fight her, and if I'm being honest, I was terrified of her, and my conscience was telling me to run, but I couldn't. Another part of me was telling that I had to fight her, and so I fought her."

"... I'm proud of you, brother." Numa confessed causing Tatsumi to look at him. "Not a lot of people could do what you did, and for that, I'm proud to be your brother."

"So am I, and I bet your father is really proud of what you did too." His mother added with a smile.

"I thought what you did was stupid and idiotic," Yuki stated with a tinge of anger in her voice as she glared at him. "and a little reckless too. However, I do think it was brave of you to take on the Empire's Strongest."

At this, Tatsumi was silent. He didn't think it was that big of a deal, but he also wasn't going to complain about it if they were going to appraise him for his actions.

"Apologies for the interruption, Your Majesty, but I do think it is best if I do my examination now." Spoke a male who stood in the doorway with Farah, and was wearing a doctor's attire.

"It's fine, I actually have a meeting soon." Numa said with a wave of his hand. "I'll be back later brother, please do what the doctor says and get better." He said as he looked back at Tatsumi.

"Alright, I'll try my best." Was all Tatsumi said in response.

* * *

Esdeath couldn't help from releasing a sigh of boredom as Liver sparred with her soldiers.

Normally, she would devote an hour of her busy day to spar with her troops in the name of maintaining their top rate standards, but today she just wasn't feeling it. Rather, she had her Three Beasts take over instead.

The thought of launching another assault on Ylona had crossed her mind and it certainly had its merits, but in the end, she found it to be little too early for them to launch another attack. The reason why was because it had been merely over a week since their initial clash, and because a small part of her was wishing for Tatsumi's recovery.

However, even if he was still alive, there was no guarantee he would be capable of participating in the upcoming battle. Not with the wounds that she had given him.

Nevertheless, a part of her was hoping that he, their strongest warrior, would beat those odds. She had, of course, had heard tales of the Battlemaster and Commander of the Royal Guard, but she had no interest in fighting old soldiers long past their prime. Yes, they were certainly skillful, armed with decades of experience, but what Tatsumi had was... very different.

He was young, fierce, and very strong, like her. She was sure that if he had an Imperial Arms, he would be capable of matching her or at least giving her an enjoyable time. Making him a subordinate had crossed her mind as well, but as enticing as it sounded, she knew he wouldn't serve her willingly. Not without that method, at least.

Acquiring him would be simple, but she knew the problem lies in getting him to turn. She had gone against similarly powerful opponents in the past after all, and they had each given her the same answer. In the end, they either broke- and oh were they broken- or gave in to her superior will. Most often, it would take a single day of torture, but the rare few had survived months on end.

"Hmm," She hummed in a soft tune as she watched Liver disarm his opponent and force him to yield. "maybe I should go out hunt? It has been a while since I've hunted in Espera."

"General Esdeath! General Esdeath!" Called out a man prompting her to shift her attention to the left and see one of her soldiers running from the encampment towards her with what looked like a letter in his hands.

Deciding not to get up, Esdeath waited patiently in her seat for him. She was a General, and she didn't need to meet the man at the halfway mark.

"General Esdeath," He said upon arriving in front of her before pausing to catch his breath. "a letter from the Prime Minister!"

"Oh? The Prime Minister has a letter for me?" She said aloud with a tinge amusement in her voice. "Is it perhaps a love letter?"

"I..." He started only to pause for a couple of seconds. "I do not General, it is for your eyes only."

At this, Esdeath laughed a little. While she knew her men loved her and adored her, she also knew they were afraid of her and knew what awaited them should they do something they're not supposed to do, for example reading this letter.

"Well, do you mind handing it over? If the Prime Minister had a letter delivered to me in enemy territory, then I could only assume it's important." Esdeath stated as she held out her hand, indicating for the man to give her the letter.

"Yes, of course, here you go General Esdeath." The soldier stated as he quickly handed her the letter which made her smile. There were times where she just enjoyed messing with her troops.

After taking the letter, Esdeath gestured for the man to go back to whatever he was doing before breaking the seal and unrolling the paper.

Once she unrolled it she began to read it.

 _[Dear,_  
 _General Esdeath,_  
 _I hope you are doing well, and I hope you haven't fallen in battle. Although, in reality, I highly doubt you have._  
 _Anyways, the reason why I have sent you this letter is because I have received news that one of the Revolutionary Army's units have crossed the border into Espera._  
 _This unit mostly deals with assassination outside of the Capital from what I have gathered,_  
 _but from what my spies tell me they're going to try striking up a deal with the Northerners, this cannot happen._  
 _I trust you know what to do._  
 _From,_  
 _Prime Minister Honest, The Emperor's most trusted advisor.]_

"Huh," She said aloud after finishing reading the paper, allowing it to roll back up. "looks like I really should hold off my attack. I can't have nuisances ruining my fun time."

As she got up from her chair, she said out loud. "I wonder what they're going to offer me when I meet them."

* * *

Once the doctor and his mother left the room, Tatsumi was once again alone with the tan nurse named Farah.

His family had left alongside his brother earlier, except for his mother who wanted to stay and hear the status of how he was doing, and in short, he would be ready to fight in about a months time. Which was something he didn't like in all honesty.

He didn't like the idea of Numa fighting this war by himself and had told the doctor that he needs to be ready to fight by tonight, but that only seemed to invoke not only his nurse's wrath, but his mother's wrath who had demanded to know if he had a death wish.

After he had been completely chewed out by the two women, his mother turned to the nurse and ordered her to look after her son and make sure he doesn't do anything reckless for so far it seems he's the most reckless child out of the four she's given birth to.

Honestly, he found this to be unnecessary and had attempted to protest, but the look his nurse gave him made it clear that he wasn't going to be doing anything that would reopen his wounds.

So, he had basically been confined to the Royal Palace, or to be specific, his room.

Releasing a sigh, and gaining the attention of his nurse, Tatsumi said aloud. "Can you let Falco out of his cage, and can you get me a book or something?"

During his time being unconscious, Falco had behaved rather well, but upon waking up and seeing Tatsumi's eyes open he began to freak out and try breaking out of his cage. Luckily, Tatsumi was able to calm him down, but he could tell Falco was truly worried for him.

"Of course, Your Highness." Farah said with a nod as she moved towards the birdcage. "Do you have a certain book in mind, Your Highness?"

"No, but I'd like it to have love in it." He answered as he turned his head slightly to the right and gazed out the window to see snow begin to fall.

For once, he didn't find the snow to be that bad.

Instead, he found it to be beautiful.

* * *

 **(Revan's AN): Well, that's the end of this chapter, I hope you all have enjoyed, and um yeah. I don't think I have much to say, so I probably will end it here, and you know do my usual outing.**

 **Link to the discord server:** discord .gg/ uDxVym8


	9. The Willow Maid

**(Revan's AN): I hope you all enjoy this chapter.**

 **Full Summary:** Tatsumi Seika, the second son of Kaito Seika, was a rebellious child. Unlike his siblings, he didn't care about the duties of a prince, and after being told that he was going to marry some noblewoman, he ran away from home. Now, after five years of being away, Tatsumi has finally returned.

 **Non-canon, single-pairing, OOC Characters.**

* * *

 _"Flashbacks" -_ **Thinking**

"Flashbacks" - _**Talking**_

 _[Flashbacks]_ **\- Letters or Reports.**

 **Theme Song: Rise, by The Glitch Mob, Mako, and The Word Alive.**

 **Main Writer:** Revan the Edgelord

 **Co-Writer:** None.

* * *

As Tatsumi closed the book he was reading; he couldn't stop himself from releasing a sigh.

This had been the second series he had finished reading, and he still hasn't been able to get rid of the boredom that plagued him.

"Is something the matter, Your Highness?" Farah asked him as she averted her eyes away from the book she was reading.

It had been about a week and a half since he had woken up, and since then Tatsumi has grown fond of his nurse. He wouldn't say that he loved her, but he definitely did enjoy her company and chatting with her.

Sighing again, and looking out the window he said to her. "No, I guess I am just getting bored of reading books, and would like to do something else."

"Do you want me to get one of the guards outside to bring you a board game, Your Highness?" Farah asked with uncertainty latched to her voice. "I do not know what the castle has to offer, but I'm sure they have some sorts of board games."

"... Sure," Tatsumi replied after a few seconds of contemplating. "but board games usually require two people. Are you trying to say that you will play with me?"

"If you want, Your Highness, then I will." She affirmed with a serious look in her eyes. "However, I do feel that I must warn you, Your Highness. Apparently, I have a tendency of getting a little too serious."

This piqued Tatsumi's interest.

"Really?" He asked her.

"Yes, Your Highness." She said with a nod of her head.

"If you don't mind me asking, why is that?" The Prince questioned as he looked at her.

"It's..." Farah began before pausing for a few seconds. "It's because of my younger brother. He wants to become the best player in the world."

"Heh, that's a something I didn't expect to hear." The prince said with a chuckle.

"I know, and my mother thinks it's a bunch of nonsense, but he really enjoys it and not to mention very good. I try to tell her that everyone enjoys what they're good at, but she won't listen to me." Farah stated with a small frown.

"... Not all of us enjoy what we're good at." Tatsumi confessed after a bit as he looked back out the window causing Farah's eyes to move from the floor to Tatsumi. "I never have."

"Your Highness..." She said in a soft tone with just the faintest of blushes. That one sentence had changed her entire look on the prince.

"... You should go request the guards to us a board game." He said after what felt like several minutes for him. "I am interested in this serious side of yours."

...

...

...

"And that'll be checkmate, _Your Highness_ , for what I believe is the sixth time in a row?" Farah said in a smug like tone before taking a sip of her drink that happened to be red wine.

"... Yeah, it would." The brown haired male confessed after a few seconds as he stared at the board game with a small frown. This was the second board game he played against her, and the one he considered himself to be good at, and yet he still wasn't able to beat her.

It was embarrassing, but Farah didn't mess around.

"How are you so good?" He asked as he looked up at her. "I even have more pieces than you this time, and yet you still won. How?"

"It's simple really." She started as she set the glass down. "You sacrificed most of your important pieces, and in exchange only took out a few of my important pieces. Take for instance your queen she is your strongest piece and your king's lover, and you had her take out one of my knights before getting taken out by my queen. Sure, the knights are powerful, and I rely on them a lot, but they're never worth the king's lover."

"The king's lover," Tatsumi said with a small chuckle. "I've never heard someone call it that."

"Well it's true, the queen is the king's lover, is it not?" Farah pointed out.

"It is, but still..." He trailed off as he scratched the side of his head. "I just never thought someone would call it that."

"Is it weird, Your Highness?" She questioned with a bit of uncertainty in her voice and faint red cheeks that signified she was slightly embarrassed.

"No, I in fact like it." He admitted as he picked up his queen piece and stared at it. "It makes me want to be more careful with her."

Farah didn't say anything in response. She instead just watched the prince as he rubbed the wooden piece in a fond like manner.

"Your Highness..." She started prompting Tatsumi to shift his attention from the queen piece to her. "Have you ever been in love with somebody?"

"Have I ever been in love?" He repeated before looking up at the ceiling and contemplating it. "No, I don't think I have. No one has really made me yearn for their company or touch."

"Really?" She said with shock in her voice.

"Really," He replied with a smile as he diverted his attention back to her. "but let's not talk about me, let's talk about you. Have you ever been in love with someone?"

"I-I can't say I have either, Your Highness." She admitted with a sad smile. "It's a little embarrassing, but there just hasn't been someone that made my heart flutter."

"Heh, I guess we're both destined to a life of loneliness." He joked with a bit of laughter.

At this Farah giggled. "I guess we are, Your Highness."

* * *

Esdeath didn't even bother trying to hide her smile as she rode up to Ylona with her army right behind her.

Yesterday had been a great day, for her Three Beasts had eliminated the unit that was sent by the Revolutionary Army, and now today was going to be the day where her forces breach Ylona's city walls.

She had no intentions of conquering the city today though. She just wanted to create a gap in the wall, a very big gap that would incite fear for the people inside the city. That's all, nothing more, and nothing less.

As she had her horse came to a halt, her thoughts drifted towards who her opponents would be for the day.

She had hoped she would be fighting Prince Tatsumi, but from what her spies have reported, the prince had yet to leave the palace which meant he was either still recovering from her wounds he had given him, or he had recovered somehow, and had decided to confine himself to the palace. Either way, it was a tragedy, but one she would have to accept, for she couldn't continue lazing around and waiting for him.

Her thoughts, however, were interrupted by Liver who had said, "My lady, all units seem to be accounted for, we're ready to begin this attack whenever you are."

"Good, inform my commanders that I want most of our men focusing on the southern gate, I want the Esperans to believe we're trying to take down the gate." Esdeath stated as she looked at the silver-haired warrior.

"Understood, my lady, I shall deliver the news at once-"

"One second Liver," She said causing him to stop in his tracks and turn around to face her. "I want it to be clear that the Royal Guard's Battlemaster, the Royal Guard's Commander, and Numa Seika are my kills. Make sure you inform the men that."

"Understood, my lady, I will be sure to relay that to the commanders, and have them relay it to their subordinates." Liver stated with a nod before turning back around and resuming his walk.

Once Esdeath was left alone at the head of her army, she released a sigh. "I wonder what you're doing right now, Prince Tatsumi?"

* * *

"I said I'm fine!" Tatsumi roared with irritation as he tried to get up, but was stopped by Farah who sitting directly on top of him with her hands on top of his chest pushing him down onto the bed.

"Your Highness, you're in no condition to fight, forgive me for doing this, but this is for your own good!" Farah shouted with redden cheeks as she continued to push down on the prince, preventing him from getting up.

"I'm in perfect condition! My wounds have healed, and they aren't causing me any pain!" He yelled as he grabbed ahold of her wrists and attempted to lift them off of his chest, but to his surprise had a difficult time doing so.

"Your Highness, you can't even get me off of you, and I'm not wearing any armor, so how are you going to get an armored soldier off of you?" She asked in a calm tone while staring directly into his eyes.

Tatsumi was about to make a comment about her breasts giving her more weight, but had stopped himself right before he started the sentence out of fear of getting potentially slapped for calling her fat, even though she isn't.

Seeing him open his mouth and then closing it, Farah took this as a sign that she had gotten through to him and continued to talk. "I understand you want to protect our people, but you're not ready to fight yet. If you go out now, you'll die, and then morale will be low, and we'll lose the war, you need to rest."

At this, the prince clicked his tongue in annoyance. He knew she was right, but when he heard the horn that signified the enemy was coming his only thoughts were to equip his armor and defend Ylona alongside his brother.

Thinking that she still needed to convince him, Farah spoke some more. "Please, Your Highness, I don't want to lose you. You are a great man, and if you were to fall today on the field of battle, I would for sure shed tears for you."

Sighing, Tatsumi gave in. How could he continue his course of action when she said something like this? "Fine, I'll rest, but before that, I'd like to go to my mother's gardern, for I'd like to ask my ancestors to give my brother strength."

Farah was a little reluctant to allow this. It may be true that his wounds weren't causing him any pain, but the best way for him to recover was laying down, and resting.

After several seconds of contemplating her answer, Farah said to the prince. "Of course, Your Highness, but after that, we're coming back here, and you're going to lay down and stop causing a ruckus, okay?"

"Okay."

* * *

"Incoming!" Shouted an Esperan soldier at the top of his lungs right before a catapult's boulder hit the city's wall, crushing several Esperans before crashing into a building.

Naofumi watched this, and couldn't help from clicking his tongue in annoyance before averting his attention back to the siege tower that was slowly his position.

He was a little surprised the tower didn't get hit by the boulder, for sometimes in war friendly fire like that happened, but unfortunately, that wasn't the case.

Unsheathing his sword, Naofumi brought it up to his lips and whispered to it. "This is for you Tatsumi."

With that said, he kissed the blade before entering a stance with his shield in front of him and his sword in a top guard stance.

There were dozens of Esperans around him that had also prepared themselves for the upcoming fight, most of them had gotten stances similar to Naofumi's while some had moved away with longbows and had them drawn, ready to fire a volley upon seeing the enemy.

Once the siege tower reached Ylona's walls, the ramp for it fell down immediately revealing dozens of soldiers including a female with light blue hair.

"Attack!" Roared one of the soldiers as they moved past the female with light blue hair.

"Loose!" Shouted an Esperan captain who was standing by the archers.

As the arrows were released, one of the Esperans who was standing by Naofumi yelled at the top of his lungs as he raised. "For Espera!"

"For Espera!" The men echoed before clashing with the Empire's forces who didn't fall by the arrows.

As Naofumi hacked and slashed his opponents, he noticed out of his peripherals the blue-haired woman still standing in the siege tower with a smile on her face.

Believing that this person was General Esdeath, Naofumi slammed his shield against an Imperial's face before impaling him with his sword. After doing this, he withdrew his sword and pointed it at her, signifying that he wanted to face her.

His challenge didn't go unnoticed, for Esdeath had seen the gesture.

With her grin getting bigger, Esdeath snapped her finger and said something that he couldn't hear. It didn't matter what she said though, for what had appeared around her were dozens upon dozens of icicles.

She then moved left hand's index and middle finger forward, and with no hesitation did the icicles dart forward, impaling Imperials and Esperans around Naofumi and sending them flying off of ramparts.

All of the soldiers who weren't hit by the projectiles had ceased fighting and diverted their attention to the blue-haired woman who had spoken loud and clearly.

"I accept your challenge." She stated as she drew her rapier, and walked off the siege tower onto the wall.

Naofumi didn't say anything, but his scowl did deepen, he had started to regret the decision of challenging her for he had indirectly killed some of Tatsumi's people.

However, he couldn't let this regret cloud his train of thought, steeling himself, Naofumi entered the guard stance he had started in and began to walk slowly to his left, like a lion circling his prey.

Esdeath in response did the same thing as well and began to sidestep to her left with one hand holding her rapier in front of her.

The Esperans and the Empire's forces who were around them had ceased their fighting for the time being to watch the two opponents fight.

Esdeath's men had no idea who Naofumi was, but the Esperans that were watching did. The man was very skilled with the sword, and some of them believed that he could perhaps rival His Majesty in a fight.

Coming to a stop, Esdeath shifted her stance and said to Naofumi. "Are we going to fight or continue circling each other?"

Naofumi didn't respond with his words, he replied with his actions.

Darting forward, Naofumi thrusted his blade forward towards Esdeath's abdomen, which caused her to move to the side while swinging her rapier horizontally.

Countering her counter with his shield, Naofumi swung his blade upwards, but to his surprise, she had reversed her grip on her weapon and his attack with it.

"You're not an Esperan, are you?" She mused as she kept her blade interlocked with his.

"Maybe." He replied in a callous tone as he disengaged his blade from hers causing to start laughing.

"So the man speaks, tell me, what are you?" She stated as the two re-engaged and began to trade attacks. "Are you perhaps a mercenary? And if so, why do you fight for these weaklings?

"You talk too much." Spoke Naofumi after blocking one of Esdeath's strikes with his shield.

"And you scowl too much." Esdeath declared with traces of amusement in her voice as she grabbed the top of his shield and began to slowly freeze it.

With no hesitation, Naofumi used his sword and cut the straps of his shield off of him while moving backwards, preventing him from getting frozen along with his shield.

"Not bad," Esdeath said with a nod of approval as she let go of the frozen item, allowing it to fall to the ground and shatter. "you're definitely a cut above the average soldier."

"You seriously talk too much." Naofumi repeated as he entered a top guard stance, both his hands on the handle of his blade.

At this point Esdeath started to grow annoyed of the man, she had respect for his strength and his willingness to fight her, but his personality was annoying to her.

"I had thought about offering you a place in my army since you're a mercenary, but it's clear that you don't like me. It's a shame, but I won't lose sleep over this. Let's finish our duel." She stated as she entered the first fighting stance she was in.

* * *

After finishing his prayer, Tatsumi slowly got up and onto his feet before turning around and saying out loud. "We can go back to my room now, Farah."

The sun-kissed woman, however, seemed to ignore the prince, for her eyes were glued to a beautiful flower.

"Farah?" He said as he approached the woman who was crouched down and had their back facing him.

"Hmm?" She replied as she looked over her shoulder. "Oh, Your Highness, forgive me I was just lost in thought."

"What were you looking at?" The prince asked as he came to a halt right next to her.

"N... It's nothing, Your Highness-"

"Who are you trying to fool?" Tatsumi questioned with a smile that made her fall silent immediately. "I believe that's what you said to me when I was trying to act like nothing was wrong, and that I was fine."

"I..." She started, a little taken back that he had said that. "Yes, Your Highness, I do believe that is what I said to you."

"It was," He affirmed as his eyes met hers. "now please, tell me what made you lose train of thought."

"If you insist, Your Highness," Farah stated before pointing to a flower. "it was that flower right there."

The flower she was pointing to was a flower that was silver and blue, a flower he was familiar with due to his mother telling him about it.

"I see, now let me ask you do know what it's called?" He questioned as he looked at the flower.

"No, Your Highness." She answered.

"It's called the Willow Maid, and there's a long story behind it, that is very interesting." Tatsumi confessed as the flower began to bloom.

"What's the story behind it, Your Highness?" Farah asked, curiosity in her voice.

"Well, from what I could remember, the flower once used to be a young maiden who lived in a willow tree, and one day a young man had heard her singing in the forest, and his heart was captured by her voice. He wanted her to be his wife, and after countless attempts of courting her, the man out of obsession cut down her tree. Believing the tree to be responsible for them not being together. However, the reason why they couldn't be together was because he couldn't take from the forest what was never meant to leave." The prince stated with a small smile.

"... That's sad." Farah declared after several seconds of silence with a small frown as she looked at the flower.

"My mother knows this story a lot more than me, I'm sure I missed some of the important things, but that's what I got from the story." He stated.

"Maybe, next time I see her, I should ask her about it," Farah said aloud as she tilted her head back and looked up at the sky. "I want to know more about the flower."

"... How about we go see her now?" Tatsumi questioned after a few seconds of thinking. "I'm sure she could use the company."

"Wo-Wouldn't we be imposing, Your Highness?" Farah asked with a bit of uncertainty.

"I don't think so, and as I said before, I'm sure she could use some company." Tatsumi affirmed, a smile written on his face.

"... I guess we can stop by her room before returning to your room."

* * *

 **(Revan's AN): And cut, uh, I really wanted to involve Tatsumi in the fight, but sadly I couldn't. Anyways, I don't have anything to say really, I enjoyed writing this chapter, however, I do think it could have been a little bit better in the ending. Oh well, maybe that's just my thoughts? I don't know, I'm just going to now, so see ya.**

 **Link to the discord server:** discord .gg/ uDxVym8


	10. The Sounds Of War

**(Revan's AN): I hope you all enjoy this chapter.**

 **Full Summary:** Tatsumi Seika, the second son of Kaito Seika, was a rebellious child. Unlike his siblings, he didn't care about the duties of a prince, and after being told that he was going to marry some noblewoman, he ran away from home. Now, after five years of being away, Tatsumi has finally returned.

 **Non-canon, single-pairing, OOC Characters.**

* * *

 _"Flashbacks" -_ **Thinking**

"Flashbacks" - _**Talking**_

 _[Flashbacks]_ **\- Letters or Reports.**

 **Theme Song: Rise, by The Glitch Mob, Mako, and The Word Alive.**

 **Main Writer:** Revan the Edgelord

 **Co-Writer:** None.

* * *

Tatsumi couldn't hide his scowl as he placed the bouquet of flowers upon the tombstone of his fallen comrade, Naofumi Iwatani.

It had been several days since the second battle of Ylona, and Tatsumi couldn't help from feeling that it was his fault that his friend had died on the field of battle.

"I just want to say sorry, Naofumi," Tatsumi confessed as he stared down at the gravestone. "you didn't deserve this fate. This wasn't your war, and you had no business in it, and yet I had asked you to fight for my people... I'm... I'm sorry."

And like rain, tears began to fall from the prince's cheeks as he collapsed onto his knees.

"I'm so sorry..." He declared as he gotten onto all fours and hung his head low. "This should have never happened to you..."

When he was informed of Naofumi's death, Tatsumi had practically stormed out of the palace ignoring Farah's pleads in the process. Luckily he didn't injure himself or reopen his wounds, but that didn't stop him from feeling sorrow upon seeing the corpse of his companion.

The two soldiers who had witnessed his death, and also brought his body back had told the young prince that Naofumi had been killed, by General Esdeath.

Hearing this, Tatsumi had to ask if she had at least given him an honorable death, a quick and painless one, but the two soldiers shook their heads and informed him that the only reason they were allowed to bring his body back was because she had allowed them too. If it weren't for that, then they would have died as well, and been crushed by the giant ice boulder she had manifest above them.

Tatsumi didn't see this, so he didn't know if it was true, but after a few conversations with some of the soldiers, he started to believe what they were telling him.

He was, of course, upset and concerned about the breach in the defense, but his thoughts, for the time being, have been solely about his fallen friend.

"If I could turn back time I would..." Tatsumi declared as tears continued to fall out of his eyes. "I would have never asked you to get involved if I knew this was going to happen to you... It's... It's all my fault."

The worst part about all of this was that Tatsumi couldn't even bury his friend in the place he wanted. Naofumi had told him once that if he was to die that he'd like to be buried on a grassy hill where the sun shined brightly, but because they were in war, and in Espera, he couldn't give Naofumi the funeral he wanted.

Instead, all he could do was bury him alongside the soldiers of Espera who had fallen in battle alongside him.

* * *

Numa released a sigh as he set the piece of paper down and looked at the five commanders that were in the room with him. "We need to do something about General Esdeath." He declared with a serious expression written on his face.

Hearing this caused his officers to glance at one another. They may not have lost as many men as General Esdeath, but they all knew they were losing the war. In fact, some of them believed that if General Esdeath truly wanted to end this war, then she could have done it on the very first day, but because she didn't, they began to believe that she was toying with them.

It was embarrassing and sad, but they just didn't have anything at their disposal that rivaled her. The only one who came close to rivaling her in their eyes was Prince Tatsumi, but because he had lost to her in a duel they believed no one could. They thought Numa might also have a chance of rivaling her, but he was their king so he couldn't fight Esdeath. If he did and then died in the process, then the morale would break for sure.

"... We could try sending assassins to deal with her?" Suggested the officer with red hair who was the furthest away from him and sitting on Numa's left.

"She's a very skilled warrior, and in case you had already forgotten she had already dealt with a group of assassins, remember? I had mentioned in the meeting a couple days ago that the Revolutionary Army wants to form an alliance." Numa stated with a scowl on his face.

At this, the redhead lowered his head and looked away. Numa had informed them of a young woman appearing in his bedroom with a letter claiming to be apart of the Revolutionary Army, and had also told them that he was considering the idea of forming an alliance since that was the reason she came here, but for the time being, he was going to hold off. He believed that Espera could win against General Esdeath and her forces.

"... Then what do you suggest we should do, Your Majesty?" Questioned the commander of the Royal Guard after a few seconds of silence as he looked at his king.

"That is something I'm trying to figure out." Numa confessed as he interlocked his hands in front of his mouth, which made him look even more serious than before. "Everyone has a weakness, we just have to find out what."

"We could try launching an assault on her camp, Your Majesty." Spoke the officer who was closest to him on his right. He had a black beard and hair that had streaks of grey in it, signifying his age and a scar on his right cheek. "With a hole in our defense, we can now launch an attack of our own."

"I don't think we should do that, Your Majesty." The redhead declared before Numa could respond causing the king to have his attention shift towards him. "We may have a breach in our wall, but we still outnumber her, if we can prevent them from getting any further, then we can win this war. All we need to do is just dwindle their numbers to the point where she has no choice but to turn tail and run back home."

"So you're wanting to plug the hole with our men, and make it look like there is no breach?" Spoke another leader who was on Numa's left. "Have you forgotten what she can do? I don't know if you saw this, but I had witnessed that massive ball of ice appear out of the sky and I had seen the devastation it had brought upon us. If we try to plug in that hole with men, they'll just die."

"Then I suppose you have a better idea, Commander Vitalion?" Questioned the grizzled officer, he may not have liked his idea being shot down, but he did think using their forces to hold the breach was a good idea.

"I don't sadly," Answered the now named commander. "however, I don't believe we should do that, and let's say she doesn't use the giant ball of ice to crush them, she could easily just hurl icicles at us or have her men bombard the position, either way we're going to lose hundreds upon hundreds of men."

"That's the tragedy of war, not all of us make it back." The older leader stated with a grim look.

"Then I suppose you'll be on the frontlines alongside them, Colonel Gaspard?" Commander Vitalion asked in a slightly heated tone. He may have been the youngest member in the King's war council, but that didn't mean he was okay with throwing away lives.

"If his Majesty wants me to be there, then I will, if not, then I'll be where I've always been." Colonel Gaspard coolly replied.

Numa who had been mostly thinking about his plan of action decided to speak now. "You both need to lose the hostility towards one another. We're not each other's enemies, our enemies are outside of this city and are very powerful."

Both the Esperan leaders looked at each other before looking at Numa and saying in unison. "Understood, my apologies, Your Majesty."

With that said, Numa continued to express his thoughts. "I think we should seek the aid of the Revolutionary Army. Unfortunately, that will require sending someone of the royal family down south to meet with the leaders of the Revolutionary Army. I had thought about going myself, but I am the king, so I have to stay here, that is why I have decided to send my brother once he recovers."

"You plan on sending, His Highness Tatsumi?" The Royal Guard Commander asked with a small frown.

"Yes, Tatsumi has survived on his own for five years, and I don't like the idea of my sister or mother going into the Empire's territory." Numa confessed.

"Your Majesty, I don't think that's the wisest-"

"My decision on this has been made." Numa curtly stated as he looked at the commander of the Royal Guard. "Once Tatsumi is able to, he will head South as fast as possible and strike a deal with the Revolutionary Army, while we defend Ylona. However, if it does come down to it, then we will evacuate the city, and head to the fortress Northeast of here."

* * *

As Tatsumi finished equipping his black robes and armor, he released a sigh. Although it had been basically two weeks since Naofumi had died, Tatsumi had still not been able to come to terms with his friend's death.

"Are you sure you're okay, Your Highness?" Farah questioned as she watched Tatsumi finish equipping his gear. Even though it had been almost a month since he had received his injuries, Farah wasn't entirely convinced that he was ready to be fighting.

Sure, the doctor had said in his last checkup, which was two days ago, that he could start doing physical activities, however, a part of her was telling her that Tatsumi wasn't ready yet.

"Yes." He affirmed as he now made sure his spaulder was tight, but not tight enough to the point where he was feeling any discomfort. "It's time I resume my duties as a prince and a warrior."

Farah frowned slightly upon hearing this, and said to him. "Still, don't you think it's a little too soon to be returning to the war?" She had heard about his friend's death, and had been there when he had gone to his tombstone and had witnessed Tatsumi's pain and sadness, so she could understand if he desired revenge, but something inside of her was telling her to try to prevent him from fighting again.

"Farah." Tatsumi in a neutral tone as he averted his attention towards her. "After the doctor told me I was fit for combat, I had planned on donning my equipment, but you had wanted me to rest for a couple more days. I did that, and now you're trying to stop me again. I can't lay in that bed all day."

"I'm not saying to lay in the bed, Your Highness." She started with a look of displeasure. "You can do other things, like command from the palace, or-"

"Farah, I can't do that." He coldly interrupted causing her to flinch. "I'm not a commander, I'm a warrior, and if I sat inside the palace, then people will think I'm a coward. I have to be at the next battle, on the front lines."

"But..." At this Farah was speechless, she had heard that the morale was low, and had heard that some of the soldiers began to believe that their prince was cowering inside the palace, so she knew he had to be present in the next fight.

However, she couldn't just accept this.

"Is there something wrong with being a coward?" She asked him as tears began to unconsciously fall from her cheeks. "If it means you can come back, and live another day, is is wrong to be a coward?"

"Farah..." Spoke Tatsumi with sadness latched to his voice.

"Your Highness, I-" She began in a voice full of emotion, but was stopped by the sounds of horns being blown.

They signified that the enemy was coming, which meant...

General Esdeath was here.

Knowing that he needed to get to the Southern wall quickly, he said to Farah. "Stay in this room, and do not leave it, I'll be back soon."

With that said and done, Tatsumi grabbed his spear and left the room with Falco who had decided to come with his master this time, leaving Farah all alone in the prince's room.

Farah stood there with tears still flowing down her cheeks, and a look of sadness written on her face.

"Don't make a girl a promise, if you know you can't keep it..." She muttered to herself.

* * *

As Esdeath approached the City of Ylona, she said out loud. "Today's the day this city falls."

* * *

 **(Revan's AN): And cut, um, I don't have much to say, to be honest, I decided to do a short chapter, and hopefully have the next chapter be a long one, but I'm not so certain really. I mean anything can happen, I guess it depends on how I write it. Also yes, I did steal that line from Cortana. Anyways, I do believe I'm going to end it here, and then pick up writing the next chapter, for I am excited about it. However, I don't think I'll update this story today and do a double update. Alright with that said, I leave, see you guys later.**

 **Link to the discord server:** discord .gg/ uDxVym8 **  
**


	11. The Fall Of Ylona

**(Revan's AN): I hope you all enjoy this chapter.**

 **Full Summary:** Tatsumi Seika, the second son of Kaito Seika, was a rebellious child. Unlike his siblings, he didn't care about the duties of a prince, and after being told that he was going to marry some noblewoman, he ran away from home. Now, after five years of being away, Tatsumi has finally returned.

 **Non-canon, single-pairing, OOC Characters.**

* * *

 _"Flashbacks" -_ **Thinking**

"Flashbacks" - _**Talking**_

 _[Flashbacks]_ **\- Letters or Reports.**

 **Theme Song: Rise, by The Glitch Mob, Mako, and The Word Alive.**

 **Main Writer:** Revan the Edgelord

 **Co-Writer:** None.

* * *

Sitting crisscrossed in his mother's garden with his weapon in his lap before his ancestor's statue was Tatsumi.

Falco was no longer with him due to circumstances, and right outside of the barred double doors, trying to get in was his enemies.

He had a somewhat sad look written on his face as he waited for Esdeath's men to break down the door.

 _"Is there anything wrong with being a coward?"_

Those words were engraved into Tatsumi's mind, and had made him wonder if what he was doing was truly the best course of action.

Unfortunately, he couldn't dwell on these thoughts, for as soon as he began to the wood that kept the door from opening started to break in the center, notifying him that it won't be long before his enemies would come marching into this place.

He watched as the door's barrier flexed more and more, and with a sigh, he said to himself in a quiet voice.

"I'm sorry guys. I'll be leaving Espera in your care, for I'm going to be joining father and Naofumi soon."

* * *

 _ **[Earlier]**_

Upon exiting the palace, and heading to the market district, Tatsumi, Theo, and Lieutenant Iguchi were welcomed to a sight of destruction and chaos.

The market district was in the Southern part of the city and closest to the Southern Gates due to most shipments coming in from the South. It housed hundreds upon hundreds of stalls, vendors, shops, and many more.

"The stalls... The shops..." One of the Lieutenant's men muttered loud enough for Tatsumi to hear.

"They're on fire." Another finished as the men stood there, taking in the atrocious sight.

Tatsumi didn't say anything, for he was speechless. He had believed that fighting on the front lines was the most terrifying things to witness, but this was far worse, far worse.

He had noticed sprawled on the ground, not just Esperan soldiers, but Esperan merchants, and Esperan civilians who had come to purchase products for the day.

"Is this hell?" One of the soldiers asked as they continued to stare at the buildings that were set of ablaze.

"No," Tatsumi confessed in a low tone that was able to reach all the men's ears as he noticed out of the corner of his eyes a group of Esperans running from a group of Imperials. "but it's about to be."

Not wasting a second, Tatsumi left his men behind and sprinted towards the group of fleeing civilians.

If they were going to win this battle, then they'd need to gain control of the market again and set up a rallying point for Esperan soldiers, while also setting up a safe haven for the civilians.

As Tatsumi sprinted towards the two groups who didn't seem to notice him, one of the females tripped on some debris and fell onto her hands.

Turning herself around she began to crawl backwards, while pleading to the Imperials asking them not to hurt her. However, they didn't stop, instead, one of them swung his sword at her in an uppercut manner and killed her, while continuing to chase after the other Esperans with his comrades.

This angered Tatsumi.

Releasing a war-like cry, Tatsumi charged into the group of Imperials causing them to finally notice him, and causing some of the Esperans who were fleeing to turn around and see what just happened.

The young prince had rammed his spear into a tall and broad shoulder male, and had used his momentum to lift him, up off the ground, before slamming him back onto the ground, and yanking his weapon out of him.

The Imperials who were now around Tatsumi were stunned by this action, but Tatsumi didn't hesitate. Changing his grip on the spear, Tatsumi swung it as if it were a greatsword and split another Imperial's mouth open from left to right.

Not long after doing this, did Theo come rushing in while swinging his sword down, cutting through a man's shoulder like butter.

"It's... It's Prince Tatsumi and the Royal Guard! They've come to save us!" An Esperan cried out as he pointed at the black-robed figure and the silver armored warriors who came to his aid.

The group of Imperials didn't stand a chance due to Tatsumi's combat prowess, and were dealt with quickly.

Turning his attention to the group of Esperans that fleed, the prince shouted to them. "Everyone head to the Cathedral! The Cathedral will provide you sanctuary!"

The Cathedral that Tatsumi was referring to was the second largest building in Ylona, everyone who lived in Ylona knew about it, and it wasn't that far from the royal palace.

"Is that true? Will we really find safety there?" A woman in her early thirties asked as she looked at the man standing next to her.

"I don't know," He answered with a small frown. "I never heard about the Cathedral becoming a safe haven."

Tatsumi, however, couldn't afford to waste any more time with them, and yelled at them again. "The longer you stand here, the more likely you'll be killed! You all need to leave now! Get to the Cathedral!"

Deciding to listen to the prince, the group of civilians began to head deeper into the city, leaving Tatsumi and his group alone in the market district.

Once they were gone, Tatsumi said to the group of soldiers. "Our objective is to rescue as many people as we can, and have them get to the Cathedral. Theo, I need you to go back to the palace and tell my brother to have Commander Vitalion to have his men guard the Cathedral, and have Colonel Gaspard and his forces help escort civilians from this district to them."

Theo didn't question Tatsumi's request, but he did have to put in a request of his own. "Tatsumi, if you can, please find Margaret."

Tatsumi simply nodded his head in response, the woman he was referring to was the woman he had come to love, and from what Theo had told him earlier, she was in the market district along with her group of mercenaries.

With that exchange done, Theo cleaned his blade, and sheathed before running back towards the palace.

Tatsumi watched Theo for a couple of seconds as Falco landed on his shoulder. The bird had made an appearance in the middle of the fight earlier by diving down onto one of Tatsumi's opponents and clawing the man's face before heading high into the sky again.

"Lieutenant Iguchi," Spoke Tatsumi as he directed his attention to the leader of the royal guards that were with him.

"Yes, Your Highness?" Came Lieutenant Iguchi's response.

"Are you willing to die for Espera?" He asked him with a stern look.

"Yes, Your Highness." He answered immediately with a nod.

"Good, because what we're going to be doing is practically suicided." Tatsumi stated with a small grin.

"If I die, I just wanna say it was an honor fighting alongside you, Your Highness." The Lieutenant confessed with a smile.

"The honor is mine Lieutenant," Tatsumi replied before pulling his hood over his head. "now let's go save our people."

* * *

Farah couldn't help from releasing a sigh as she sat on Tatsumi's bed waiting for him to return.

Every minute that went by, her fear for his safety began to rise.

Eventually, she started to wonder if Tatsumi was still alive, but had stopped these train of thoughts almost immediately.

Tatsumi was a prince, and not to mention a warrior who had taken on the Empire's strongest and survived, there was no way he could die easily.

"Your Highness..." She mumbled quietly to herself as she looked at her lap. "Please don't die."

"Please come back to me..."

* * *

"Die De-" Was all the man could utter before being abruptly cut off by Esdeath's rapier causing him to fall to the ground headless.

"I'd prefer not to die." She said with a smile as she glanced at the man's head, he had attempted to launch an attack on her from behind, but the fact that he had shouted 'die' made it to where she could sense him coming from a mile away.

"Y-You... You bitch!" Another Esperan shouted with black hair and a long nose as he glared daggers at the Empire's Strongest. "I'll fucking kill you!"

"Oh? By all means, feel free to come and try." Esdeath stated as she looked at the Esperan with a smirk.

The man gritted his teeth before darting towards Esdeath with his sword above his head. He had attempted to split her into two from the head down, but Esdeath merely blocked the attack before launching her own attack and killing the man.

As the man fell to the ground, she directed her attention to remain Esperans.

"Well?" She asked them with a look of amusement. "Who wants to try killing me next?"

None of the Esperans moved towards, and only a few casted each other looks of concern.

Seeing them hesitate made her smile get bigger. "If you're not going to engage men, then I will engage you!"

With that declaration, Esdeath closed the distance between her, and the five Esperans and dealt with them quickly.

Once she had finished dealing with them, she cleaned her rapier off and sheathed into her scabbard, a smile of satisfaction written on her face.

"My Lady," Came Liver's voice from behind causing her to turn around and see Liver with his sword sheathed in his hand. "I have news that might interest you."

"What is it?" She asked, a tinge of curiosity in her voice.

"One of the soldiers Nyau dealt with claimed that they had seen the Prince Tatsumi in the Southeast part of this district. Apparently, he has a large number of Royal Guards with him, and are making short work on our men." Liver stated with a serious expression.

"So the prince can finally fight again..." Esdeath said aloud with a gleeful smile. She had wondered if Tatsumi was going to make an appearance, and hearing that he was on the battlefield excited her.

"That's not all, he's also killed Guntar from what I've heard." Liver declared causing Esdeath to stare at him for a few seconds.

Seeing no traces deceit or joking in his eyes or face, Esdeath spoke. "That's unfortunate, I was very fond of Guntar."

However, the sadness Esdeath expressed was soon replaced with enthusiasm. If Tatsumi had slain Guntar, a man who was half-giant and considered to be one of the deadliest soldiers in her army, then that meant for sure Tatsumi had fully recovered and was able to give her a challenge.

* * *

"For Espera!" Lieutenant Iguchi shouted before plunging his sword into his foe's chest.

"For Espera!" Roared the royal guards around Tatsumi as he blocked one of his opponent's attacks before striking down one of the three men he was facing.

After cutting down one of his enemies, Tatsumi reversed his grip, and thrusts the staff like side at the enemy who was on his left. The red orb had hit the man directly in the nose causing his nose to break and him to go reeling backwards in pain.

Using this as momentum, Tatsumi placed his right hand on the weapon, and shifted it to block the swordsman's attack who was on his right.

The blade scraped against the spear's shaft for a few seconds before Tatsumi jerked it to the right, causing the staff like end to come towards him, and the bladed part to go away from him. With that done, he then moved forward, and jammed the spear into the man's abdomen.

The Imperial released a gasp full of pain and surprise, but no words were uttered, not even when he crumpled to the floor.

The leader of the Imperials watched his men getting slaughtered, and had no choice, but to order for his men to fall back, they needed to regroup with the main force of the army.

With only a few of the enemy forces escaping from the skirmish, the Esperans began to cheer.

"They're retreating! We have them on the run now!" One soldier yelled.

"Run like the cowards you are!" Another soldier shouted.

"We're taking back our city!" Another soldier roared.

As the men cheered enthusiastically, Tatsumi couldn't help from scowling a bit. Something didn't feel quite right.

They may have been saving civilians, and rescuing other groups of soldiers, but was bothering him were these fights. As time passed, the fights did become larger and larger, but they had yet to come across the bulk of Esdeath's army, or Esdeath herself.

"Your Highness! Your Highness!" Someone shouted pulling Tatsumi from his thoughts and causing the young prince to turn around and see a man wearing the Royal Guard's uniform sprinting towards him.

"Yes?" Tatsumi questioned with a small frown. Unlike the Royal Guards that were with him, this man didn't have a single drop of blood on him, indicating that he had yet to partake in a fight.

"It's..." The man started before taking a deep breath of air. "The palace is about to be attacked..."

"What?" Tatsumi asked with shock in his voice.

"Esdeath, and her forces... They're carving a hole through our defenses that..." He continued still having a difficult time conveying the information due to him being short of breath.

Directing his attention to Lieutenant Iguchi, he said to him. "Lieutenant, I'm going to need you to keep doing this with the rest of the men, I need to go back to the palace and defend my family."

"I can go-"

"No." Tatsumi interrupted, not even letting the man have a chance to explain himself. "I need you to represent me as well as our king on the field of battle. The people need to see that Numa is prioritizing them too, and for that, we need the royal forces out here to stay out here. If you guys follow me, then they might think we're abandoning them, and _I_ can't allow that."

Lieutenant Iguchi, along with his men were speechless upon hearing this. Every single one of them were ready to lay down their lives for Tatsumi, but now Tatsumi wasn't going to give them that chance, he was going to make them focus on saving the civilians and soldiers in this district.

"Your Highness, I..." Started the Lieutenant before pausing, his voice being full of emotion.

"Lieutenant, I wish you the best of luck, and I have a personal request for you." Tatsumi began causing the man to look up from the ground at the prince.

"What... What is it... Your Highness?" He asked, a little reluctant to ask what he wanted.

"I want you to look after my bird, Falco." Tatsumi declared causing the bird who was soaring above them to release a squawk before diving down and landing on Tatsumi's shoulder. "I no longer have any wish to own him, I want you to take care of him."

"Your Highness..." He began before pausing again.

"Please, this is the last request of mine for you." Tatsumi stated, in a voice that was borderline begging.

"I... I will look after him until you return, Your Highness." The Lieutenant declared with a firm look, believing that they'd meet again soon.

At this Tatsumi smiled slightly, and said to Iguchi. "Thank you."

* * *

After Tatsumi entered the palace, the Royal Guards who were still inside of it began to reinforce the large doors with whatever they could. Tatsumi had barely made it before Esdeath and her forces, but everyone knew it wouldn't be long before they start attacking it.

"Commander Yeager!" Tatsumi shouted as he moved towards the commanding officer of the Royal Guard who was busy giving orders out.

"Your Highness," The old man greeted after turning to face the prince.

"Where's Numa and my family?" He questioned with a look of concern that couldn't be seen due to the hood.

"Numa, along with the Royal Battlemaster, and the best of the Royal Guard are in the throne room. Your mother and siblings, however, are in the garden, and are about to be taken out of the city through the secret passageway." The commander answered with a solemn look.

Tatsumi opened up his mouth to respond, but right when he was about to say what he wanted to say a loud banging noise was heard causing him as well as the men in the room to shift their attention towards the large doors.

"... Your Highness, I think it's best if you regroup with Numa in the throne room, he plans on making a last stand there." Spoke Commander Yeager as he unsheathed his sword.

"But what about you?" Tatsumi questioned as he directed his attention back to the commander.

"Someone has to greet our guests." The Commander stated with a smile, a sad smile.

"I... I see." Tatsumi said in response. He would have argued, but it was clear the commander had no intentions of falling back. "Well, then I wish you the best of luck, Commander Yeager."

"So do I," Replied the commander. "now go."

...

...

...

Tatsumi didn't go to the throne room first, the first room he went to was his own.

Rushing into the room, he practically shouted. "Farah!"

"Your Highness!" She said in surprise, as she turned around to face him, she had been looking out the window and had seen the Imperial forces surrounding the place and had begun to fear once again that Tatsumi had been killed.

"Farah, we need to go." He stated as he grabbed ahold of her wrist and began to lead her out of the room.

Farah didn't say anything at first, for she had a lot of things on her mind, but eventually, she asked him a question.

"What's going to happen to us?"

"I don't know yet, but all I know is that we need to get to the garden." Tatsumi answered, his guard never wavering.

"The garden?" She said in a tone of uncertainty. "Why are we heading to the garden, and not for one of the exits?"

"Because the garden can guarantee our exit. It has a passageway that leads us out of the city." He answered, as he continued to lead her down the halls.

...

...

...

Upon arriving at the garden, Tatsumi was welcome to a sight he didn't expect to see at all. Being carried into the passageway by two Royal Guards was Tatsumi's brother Numa who looked like he was unconscious.

"Wha... Mother!" He started before his eyes landed on his mother who was observing this.

"Tatsumi?" She said in surprise as she directed her attention to her son and Farah who was right behind him.

"What's going on, what's happened to Numa?" Tatsumi demanded, traces of concern in his voice.

"Numa's fine, he's just been knocked out." She assured.

"But why is he knocked out?" He questioned.

"Because he can't die here today." Answered the Royal Battlemaster who appeared out of the passageway. "He had insisted on staying in the throne room, and fighting and I couldn't allow that, so I had no choice, but to knock him out."

Sensing her son's confusion, his mother spoke. "Tatsumi, Numa is the king, and can't make selfish decisions like that. He has a duty to uphold and that duty is leading our people."

"So you're planning on sneaking him out of the city?" Tatsumi stated in a questioning manner.

"Yes," The Royal Battlemaster affirmed. "Ylona is going to fall, so we have to get you guys out of here while we still have time."

Tatsumi didn't say anything for a while. A part of him wanted to take Farah into the passageway and lead her out of the city, but another part of him didn't want to leave, that part of him wanted to kill Esdeath.

She had killed many of his people, and she needed to pay, he didn't know if he would be able to kill her, but he needed to try.

Not to mention he couldn't just run away and abandon the Lieutenant and Theo where ever he is.

"I'm not going with you guys." He declared after a few seconds on contemplation shocking everyone around him. "I had already ran away from home once, I'm staying, and I'm going to fight Esdeath."

"Your Highness, that's-"

"Suicidal? I know, but I'm not going to run away, and let her slaughter our people. I'm going to kill her." Tatsumi stated causing the Royal Battlemaster to fall silent.

Tatsumi's mother didn't say anything for a while, she merely looked at her son for several seconds before saying to him. "I can't convince you, can I?"

"No, you can't." He answered as he looked at his mother.

"I don't approve of this, but if you really believe that you can kill her, then I'll let you stay, but you do know that her men will most likely kill you, even if you kill her, right?" His mother stated, her voice slightly trembling.

"Yeah, I know." He replied with a sad smile that she didn't see due to his hood covering his facial features.

With no more to say to her son, his mother entered the passageway. The Royal Battlemaster soon followed her after giving the prince a nod, he would have attempted to convince Tatsumi, but he doubted he would get through to him if his mother couldn't.

"So, you're going to stay, Your Highness?" Farah asked him causing him to turn around and face her.

"Yeah," Tatsumi answered with a small nod of his head.

"Then, I'm going to stay too." She stated with a firm look. "Someone has to-"

"No, you'd only get in my way." He interrupted in a cold tone that made her fall silent.

"But..." She began, her voice quivering.

"Farah," He said as he closed the distance between the two of them and wrapped his arms around her. "I'm glad I had a wonderful nurse like you to look after me."

"Your Highness..." She said as tears began to roll down her cheeks and onto his black coat.

"I'll probably die today, but I just want you to know that I think I fell in love with you." He confessed as he moved back a little and looked into her eyes.

"How could you..." Farah started in a teary voice as she shoved him away. "Why would you... Say something like that to me now?"

"I'm sorry, but I just don't want to have any regrets." Tatsumi stated as he stared at her.

Farah looked at him for a while before marching past him and into the passageway.

She wanted to say a lot of things to him at that moment, but she just couldn't find the strength to say them.

* * *

Upon the barrier breaking, and the double doors opening, Tatsumi rose to his feet and watched as a squad of Imperials entered the room followed by General Esdeath who was accompanied by her Three Beasts.

"Prince Tatsumi, it's been a while since we've seen each other, hasn't it?" Esdeath greeted as her men formed a perimeter around the brown haired male whose hood had yet to be pulled over his head.

"It has indeed," Tatsumi stated with a small nod of acknowledgment. "the last time we saw each other, I was bleeding out, and you were looking down on me."

At this Esdeath smiled. "So, where's your brother? I didn't see him in the throne room, and I didn't run into him on my way here."

"He's out of your reach," Came the prince's response as his expression became more serious. "and that's all you need to know."

"Ah, so he had ran away like a coward?" The general mused as she stared at the prince, she was trying to get a reaction from him but was unsuccessful.

"... Before we fight, I have one question for you, General Esdeath." Tatsumi began after a few seconds of silence.

"Oh? A question for me?" Esdeath said in a playful manner. "I wonder what you'll ask me?"

"Why did you come here?" He asked, deciding to ignore her comments. "Espera has been on good terms with the Empire, for a very long time, so why did you guys come here?"

"Simple really, I was bored and wanted something fun to do." Esdeath stated with a wicked smile that finally made Tatsumi show an emotion.

Anger.

"I see," He started before pulling his hood over his head. "so all of this loss was to sate your boredom."

"Yep." She said with an even bigger smile. The killing intent that was radiating from him was getting her excited. "It was all because of that, nothing else."

Something snapped inside of Tatsumi upon hearing that, and with no hesitation, he darted towards Esdeath with the intent to kill.

As he moved towards her, Esdeath's men moved to intercept, and as they did this, Esdeath cheered for Tatsumi, demanding that he shows her his beauty.

* * *

 **(Revan's AN): And cut. Well, it was a little different from the original planning I had, but that's nothing big. I'd like to think this chapter was good, however, I don't think it was my best. I think the Battle on the Ramparts was the best one I wrote. Still, it was good. Will Tatsumi live, or will he die? Find out next chapter.**

 **Link to the discord server:** discord .gg/ uDxVym8


	12. The Duel of Fates

**(Revan's AN): I hope you all enjoy this chapter.**

 **Full Summary:** Tatsumi Seika, the second son of Kaito Seika, was a rebellious child. Unlike his siblings, he didn't care about the duties of a prince, and after being told that he was going to marry some noblewoman, he ran away from home. Now, after five years of being away, Tatsumi has finally returned.

 **Non-canon, single-pairing, OOC Characters.**

* * *

 _"Flashbacks" -_ **Thinking**

"Flashbacks" - _**Talking**_

 _[Flashbacks]_ **\- Letters or Reports.**

 **Theme Song: Rise, by The Glitch Mob, Mako, and The Word Alive.**

 **Main Writer:** Revan the Edgelord

 **Co-Writer:** None.

* * *

As Tatsumi evaded an Imperial's attack, he sent his own as he moved past him, cutting the back of the man's heel and forcing him to release a painfilled cry as he fell to his knees.

The prince didn't waste any more time with the man, and continued to move towards Esdeath who was waiting for him with a big old grin. The three men behind her had pulled out their weapons and had planned on intercepting him, but Esdeath signaled them not to with her hand.

As the distance between him and the blue haired woman became smaller and smaller, two more Imperials got in his way; one of them wielded a spear, and the other was wielding an ax.

Moving to his left, Tatsumi avoided the axeman's downward strike and grabbed ahold of the spearman's weapon, preventing the man from attacking him. Pulling the spear towards him, Tatsumi made the spearman collide with him and knocked him down to the ground before moving away from him, and evading the ax wielder's attack.

Seeing Tatsumi dodge his attack, the man started to taunt him. "Is this all a prince of Espera can do? Just run away and-"

Unfortunately for him, he never had a chance to finish the insults, for Tatsumi had taken out the dagger that was attached to the back of belt, and chucked it a the man, burying it deep into the man's skull.

As the man fell backwards, Esdeath watched as Tatsumi quickly finished off his down opponent who was in the process of getting up before turning his attention to the remaining members of the squad who had converged on his position.

The thought of stepping in and assisting her men had crossed her mind, but they outnumbered him five to one, if they couldn't handle the prince with the superior numbers, then that meant they were weak, and didn't deserve to be a part of her army.

While Tatsumi cut down another soldier of hers, Esdeath said to her bodyguards. "After he deals with them, I'm going to fight him, and I don't want you to interfere at all, is that understood?"

"Even if he is winning, my lady?" Liver asked, he doubted the prince would come close to winning against her, but anything could happen, so he wanted to make sure what she was ordering them to do.

"Even if he is winning." She affirmed with a grin as another one of her soldiers fell to Tatsumi's spear. "If I lose to him, then that means I'm weak."

"Man, that's a shame." Spoke Daidara as he placed his ax on his back and crossed his arms. "I was hoping I could fight him, and get some more experience points from him since he's strong."

After hearing this, a thought that had entered her mind upon encountering him the first time resurfaced.

The idea of making him become one of her soldiers.

She doubted he would become one willingly, but she didn't need his consent. All she needed to do was break him, but not too much, for she didn't want to destroy all of that potential inside of him.

As another subordinate of hers died, she continued to contemplate what she wanted to do with Tatsumi.

She could give him a quick and honorable death since he did earn it in her eyes, but it would truly be a waste to kill him. The thought of making him into a pet had crossed her mind as well, but again she thought it would be a waste of potential, so she wasn't too keen on the idea.

 _"I'll decide his fate after I beat him,"_ She said to herself as Tatsumi finished off the last two soldiers of hers. _"for now I should focus on our fight, he's going to be going all out. The least I can do is give him my undivided attention."_

With the last two soldiers dead, Tatsumi directed his attention towards General Esdeath who had stepped forward a couple feet and entered a defensive stance.

"That was pretty impressive Tatsumi," Esdeath stated with a smirk as she stared at him. "I absolutely loved how you killed those two moments ago. However, I truly hope you're not feeling any fatigue, for I'd hate for our dance to be a short one."

"It might be a little drawn out, but your death will be a quick one." Tatsumi answered in an emotionless tone causing Esdeath's smirk to get a little bigger.

"I love that confidence of yours; it really excites me." Esdeath declared in a giddy voice. "Now come at me! No one else will be getting in our way. I want you to unleash everything upon me! Your anger, your hatred, your rage, I want it all!"

Tatsumi didn't say anything in response, for there were no more words that needed to be exchanged between the two of them. The only thing that needed to be exchanged now were their attacks.

Sprinting towards her, Tatsumi leaped into the air while thrusting his spear at her with one hand.

The attack was deflected, but Tatsumi didn't stop there, upon his feet touching the ground he thrusted the spear forward again like a viper, forcing Esdeath to backstep.

After he did this, he begun to spin the weapon around in an insanely fast pace, lashing out at her nearly every two seconds and blocking any attack she sent his way.

"He's good with that spear of his. In fact, he's kind of similar to a former subordinate of mine." Liver stated as he watched the prince and Esdeath trade attacks.

"I'm jealous of lady Esdeath; she's getting to hog all those experience points to herself." Daidara stated with a small frown as the two warriors continued to trade blows.

"For someone who doesn't have an Imperial Arms, he is surprisingly strong." Nyau confessed with a look of interest. "Unfortunately for him though, our lady is stronger and has the strongest Imperial Arms, there is no way he can beat her."

Tatsumi had heard these comments, but he didn't let them affect him. His mind was currently somewhere else, and telling him that he needed to be faster and stronger.

As he guided Esdeath's rapier to the ground with his spear, the two warriors looked into each other's eyes. The look in Tatsumi's eyes was nothing but determination, while Esdeath had a content look, clearly enjoying their duel.

"Let's make this more interesting," Spoke Esdeath with a smirk as she moved the index and middle finger of her free hand upwards.

Assuming the worst, Tatsumi broke off his attack and launched himself off of the ground and spun in the air like how a crocodile would do a death roll before landing on his right foot, and jumping into the air again and repeating the motion. This action that he took was a smart one, for what had sprung out of the ground underneath him was a pillar of ice that would have impaled him.

"You really like to spin things, don't you?" Esdeath stated with an amused expression. His hood had fallen back, so she was now able to see his face clearly. "Be it a weapon or your body, you twirl and spin."

"I like to move around." Tatsumi said in response, his eyes never leaving her figure.

"I can see that." Came Esdeath's reply with a chuckle. "However, seeing you move around like this, and not showing any signs of fatigue makes me wonder if you secretly have an Imperial Arms."

"If I had an Imperial Arms, don't you think I'd use it by now?" He asked as a frown formed on his face.

"Yes, which is why I just think you're naturally strong, like me." Esdeath stated as she snapped her free hand's fingers causing dozens upon dozens of icicles to manifest around her. "With that said, let's resume our dance! Weissschnabel!"

Tatsumi narrowed his eyes before moving the spear in front of him, and spinning it at an insane speed. The icicles that had collided with the moving weapon were reduced to nothing, but bits causing the Three Beasts' expressions to contort to one of shock.

Esdeath wasn't as shocked as her subordinates, for she had gone up against a handful of people that were able to block the incoming projectiles with their weapon, but those people were Teigu users.

 _"He's definitely not normal."_ She said to herself as she darted towards him and swung at him. _"There is no way he could block not one, but seven icicles like that without taking any damage at all."_

She had fired them all around him due to her believing that he tried to dodge them, but because he had stood in the same spot, only a handful had the potential of hitting him.

Tatsumi avoided the strike by ducking underneath the blade, while thrusting his blade forward.

What he was aiming for was her abdomen, and he was able to make contact with something. However, that something wasn't flesh. No, the spear's tip had made contact with a thick sheet of ice.

Pulling the spear back, and moving away from her, Tatsumi watched as the ice broke into tiny pieces.

"That's a little unfair, don't you think?" The prince stated as he moved back towards her, and launched several attacks.

"Is it?" She said with amusement as they entered a power struggle. "I think it's a little funny. You're trying so hard to beat me, and yet all I have to do is think, and ice will manifest around me."

Tatsumi didn't respond, truth be told after seeing that, he began to wonder if he could actually kill her.

If all she needed to do was think, then there was no way he could actually beat her.

 _"No,"_ He said to himself as their weapons collided again. _"I can beat her. All I have to do is kill her before she can think. Like I had told Numa before, arrogance can kill you."_

The two traded blows after blows with one another, neither one showing any signs of weakness, but eventually an opening opened, an opening for Tatsumi.

Using his right leg, he delivered two kicks. Tatsumi had kicked at her face, but the attack was easily blocked by her left arm which made her smirk. The second one though, he had sent to her abdomen, but unlike the first one, this one was fast, violently fast. The power and speed behind it made to where she couldn't hold back the little gasp, that was nearly inaudible.

The Three Beasts who had seen what Tatsumi had done were taken back by his actions yet again. They did give him respect for fighting up a hill that you can't climb, but to land a kick that had moved her a couple of inches was impressive, especially for someone who lacked an Imperial Arms.

Esdeath, on the other hand, wasn't impressed, she was pissed.

She was taking him seriously, but she wasn't going all out on him because if she did, she doubted he would last even a minute against her. However, because he had landed that second kick and had made her feel some pain, it was clear that she needed to show him outmatched he was.

Blocking his spear with her rapier; Esdeath's eyes locked with Tatsumi's once again, but this time though, there was determination in her eyes along with a hint of rage. The determination to stomp him into the ground.

For the first time, she leaped back to disengage. Her eyes were narrowed, and her breathing heavy. "I apologize, Tatsumi Seika, I wasn't taking you as seriously as I should. You _now_ have my full and _undivided_ attention. Playtime is over."

* * *

Upon opening his eyes, Numa was welcomed by the sight of a white sheet.

It had taken him a couple seconds to process this before remembering that Ylona was under siege.

"Ylona!" He practically shouted causing the carriage's passengers to jolt and awaken from their slumber.

"Your Majesty!" Spoke the Royal Battlemaster, as he looked over his shoulder to see the king looking around frantically at the members of the Royal Guard who were getting the fogginess of sleep out of their eyes.

Turning around, Numa moved towards the Royal Battlemaster, and said to him. "Where are we?!"

"We're currently en route to Haven, Your Majesty." The Royal Battlemaster said in response.

Hearing this made the king worry. If they were on their way to Haven, then did that mean they lost Ylona? Did that mean he was the last member of the Seika bloodline?

Seeing the concern on Numa's face, the Royal Battlemaster spoke. "Most of your family is safe, Your Majesty, and I'm sure the commanders had begun to evacuate the city after the palace fell to the hands of the Empire."

"Most?" Numa questioned with a frown. "What do you mean most?"

"Your brother, His Highness, Tatsumi..." The Royal Battlemaster started before pausing, he didn't want to say that they left him behind, but truth be told they did. He could have probably knocked Tatsumi out, but the problem was that he doubted he'd get the drop on the prince. Unlike Numa who didn't expect it at all, Tatsumi was on full blown alert. "He stayed behind."

"What do you mean?" Numa asked, not being able to remember what exactly had happened today.

"After we had taken your unconscious body to the passageway did your brother arrive with his nurse, I had told him it was I who knocked you out, and out of pride, regret, or thirst of vengeance he chose to stay behind to confront General Esdeath." The Royal Battlemaster explained.

" _You_ _knocked me out_?" Spoke Numa in a cold tone.

"Your Majesty, I-"

"How could you!" Numa shouted as he punched the older man in the face causing him to go flying off the carriage and making the Royal Guard who was right next to him grab ahold of the reins, all the while the guards that were sitting next to the king released gasps of surprise and attempted to calm him down.

His mother, who was in the carriage behind Numa had ordered the driver to stop upon seeing someone go flying out of the carriage in front of them, and had exited the carriage only to see Numa leave his own with Wolfsbane in his hand.

"Numa?" She said with a look of concern as her son approached the man lying on the ground who was in a daze with his weapon in hand.

"Not only did you knock me out, but you also left my brother, my brother who had been gone for five years behind." Numa stated as he kicked the Royal Battlemaster who had attempted to get up.

"I'm sorry..." The man muttered as blood trickled from his nose.

"I don't want your apology." Numa declared as he delivered another kick to the man's face, this time knocking him out. "I want my brother."

"Numa stop this! This was his choice!" His mother yelled as the rest of her children got out of the carriage she was in along with the other passengers.

"I don't care if this was his choice!" Numa yelled as tears started to form in his eyes. "We finally were making our family whole again, and then he did something selfish like that."

Upon hearing this, his mother was now able to understand why her son was so upset. Numa may not have shown it a lot since his brother had run away from home, but he did miss the days where they'd sit down have family meals, and spend a lot of time with each other. Even if Tatsumi was a little reluctant about these things, they were still together.

Farah who hadn't said a word upon leaving the garden, couldn't help from looking down at the ground. She agreed with Numa, what Tatsumi did was selfish, and a part of her hated him for that, but another part of her hated herself. She could have done something, she could have tried to convince him not to stay, but instead, she just allowed him to do this.

After a couple minutes standing there silently crying, Numa spoke. "I'm going to avenge Tatsumi, the Empire shall pay for what they did here in blood."

* * *

 _"I apologize, Tatsumi Seika, I wasn't taking you as seriously as I should. You now have my full and undivided attention. Playtime is over."_

Before he could retort, she had disappeared in a blur of speed. He had blocked the attack from behind due to his training and skills, but immediately after she struck again.

Not only had she sped up, but she had also formed a jagged blade of ice to match her rapier, which was already putting Tatsumi on the defensive.

He twisted and turned, barely dodging by hair widths, and he grew frustrated at being unable to counter-attack.

 _"How... How Can I win against this?"_ He asked himself as he raised his weapon up, and caught both blades with the shaft of his spear like staff. _"At first it felt like it was just a gap between us, but now... Now it feels like there's a valley between us!"_

Pushing her weapons away, Tatsumi attempted a counter attack, but as soon as he moved her weapons away from him, she moved them back.

Canceling his attack, the prince blocked both blades again.

"Do you fear death, Tatsumi?" She asked as she pushed against him, slowly forcing him to slide back.

Tatsumi didn't answer the question, he was right now trying to come up with a plan to beat her.

"Most people say it's not death that they fear, it's how they die that they fear." She stated as she took a step forward, while continuing to drive him back.

Tatsumi didn't reply, but sweat did roll down his face.

"I doubt you do fear it because if you did fear it, you wouldn't have stayed behind to fight me." She said with a voice that was colder than a winter storm.

As she said this, Tatsumi felt his right heel touch something. Noticing out of the corner of his eye, he saw a shadow, a shadow that he was familiar with. She had backed him into his ancestor's statue.

"I want you to know something before I end this fight." Started Esdeath causing the prince to look into her eyes. "You're going to regret this day, for I'm not going to kill you. I'm going to break you, slowly, in the slowest way possible, and everyone will know of you, I will make sure of that. You'll be known as the prince who became nothing, but my slave. My dog who obeys every single command of mine."

"I..." Tatsumi began as he struggled to keep his weapon up. "I-I will never... Break!"

As if his second wind came in, Tatsumi shoved her off of him and launched an assault. However, Esdeath had expected this, and easily deflected the attack before sending a lightning fast strike at his right thigh.

Tatsumi released a grunt, but he didn't stop, he continued his attack.

He was going to make it to where Esdeath had no choice, but to kill him, for if she didn't he would kill her because he wasn't going to stop attacking her until he was on the ground dead.

Unfortunately, Esdeath wasn't going to allow this, and had evaded his next couple of attacks before striking his other left thigh.

Releasing another grunt, Tatsumi still attempted to kill her, but his movement had been reduced significantly. It had gotten to the point where Esdeath could see his attacks coming from a mile away.

"I don't think you understand, Tatsumi Seika." Esdeath began as she disarmed him and planted them into the ground, if she had pointed them at him, then he would have just moved into them, so she had no choice but to finish this fight with her bare hands. "When I said 'I'm not going to kill you.' I meant it."

Tatsumi didn't reply, he instead had closed what little distance was between them, and swung at her. Esdeath in response to this just caught his hand in mid-swing, and began to squeeze it, while turning it mercilessly.

The action made Tatsumi gasp, and forced him to his knees.

 _"I can't..."_ He said to himself as he tried to pry her hand from his. _"I can't lose here... I have... I have to beat her... I have to kill her!"_

With all of his strength, Tatsumi began to twist his hand back to its original position while slowly prying her hand off of his, but he was never able to finish these actions, for Esdeath had used her other hand and knocked him out cold.

* * *

 **(Revan's AN): Well, I wonder what'll happen next. Tatsumi has been defeated, and his family believes he is dead. It's a sad day for the Esperans. On the bright side, Esdeath gets a new pet! So I guess the Imperials get a win. With that being said, I'm going to go now. I'm sure some people are salty, or whatever, but it's no concern of mine at the moment, I got things to do, AKA SMITE.**

 **Link to the discord server:** discord .gg/ uDxVym8


	13. I Will

**(Revan's AN): I hope you all enjoy this chapter.**

 **Full Summary:** Tatsumi Seika, the second son of Kaito Seika, was a rebellious child. Unlike his siblings, he didn't care about the duties of a prince, and after being told that he was going to marry some noblewoman, he ran away from home. Now, after five years of being away, Tatsumi has finally returned.

 **Non-canon, single-pairing, OOC Characters.**

* * *

 _"Flashbacks" -_ **Thinking**

"Flashbacks" - _**Talking**_

 _[Flashbacks]_ **\- Letters or Reports.**

 **Theme Song: Rise, by The Glitch Mob, Mako, and The Word Alive.**

 **Main Writer:** Revan the Edgelord

 **Co-Writer:** None.

* * *

 _"Take him to the dungeons, and make sure he can't escape, I don't want my prize running away from me now."_

 _..._

 _..._

 _"I want you four to guard this cell specifically. He's a very dangerous man, and shouldn't be underestimated at all, if something happens, I want you to come and get one of us or Lady Esdeath, understood?"_

 _..._

 _..._

 _"Is there anything wrong with being a coward?"_

* * *

Opening his eyes, Tatsumi was greeted by the sight of his cell's door, and the stone flooring that he had been sleeping on for the past three days.

When he had regained consciousness, it didn't take him long to realize where he was and what had happened to him.

He was in the palace's dungeons, and the prison cell that he was in was one of the more reinforced ones that were used to hold the most dangerous of criminals.

His hands had been binded, and the chain that bound him went up to the ceiling which gave him enough slack to wander the room, but not enough to where he could pull it out of the roof.

He hadn't received a visit from Esdeath, which was honestly surprising for he had suspected she would visit him immediately, and begin torturing him. The only time the door opened was when an Imperial Medic came in to check his wounds, the lady who checked and bandaged his injuries was of course not alone, and had an armed escort with her.

His wounds weren't going to take that long to heal, which in other words meant that it shouldn't be that long until his torturing begins.

He wouldn't lie to himself, a part of him was scared of what Esdeath had in mind for himself, but he had no intentions of revealing that fear to her.

He had told her that he wouldn't break, and he had meant that. She could cut his hand off, break his legs, burn his face, do anything she wants to him, it didn't matter, for he wasn't going to yield. He was going to withstand everything she threw at him.

As he used his hands to push himself off of the ground, Tatsumi's thoughts drifted towards Farah and his family. _"I wonder if they've made it to Haven yet, and are planning their next course of action."_

At first, Tatsumi had wondered if they had gotten captured, but had quickly deduced the thought. If his family and friends had been captured by the Imperials, then Esdeath would have most likely came to his cell to boast about it since Esdeath gives off that sort of feeling.

But because she hasn't yet, Tatsumi believed that his family had been able to get out of Ylona safely.

He was pulled from his thinking by the sounds of someone screaming. Tatsumi couldn't understand what the person was screaming about due to it being slightly muffled, but he was pretty sure it was something along the lines like, "Please stop! I'm begging you!" or "Mercy! Mercy I beg you!"

He had grown a little used to the people yelling, and was able to sleep through most of them, but it still bothered him, for he was positive that the people screaming were Esperans who had been taken prisoner.

The person who he believed was being tortured had screamed for quite some time, but eventually, the person abruptly stopped, which made Tatsumi wonder if the person had been killed or had their tongue cut off.

Not long after this did he hear the guards outside his cell cause a bit of commotion. He didn't understand what they had said, but he was pretty sure that an officer was walking by or something like that.

However, to his surprise, his door was unlocked and opened.

Stepping through the door was none other than the woman who had bested him in combat, General Esdeath.

"Good evening, Tatsumi," She greeted with a smile as a soldier entered the room real quick to place down a chair. "I trust you've been sleeping well?"

Tatsumi didn't respond to her. He just stared at her as she sat down in the chair that her subordinate had placed right behind her.

"I'll take that as a no then," Esdeath said aloud as she crossed her legs.

"... What do you want Esdeath?" Tatsumi asked after a few seconds of silence. The thought of remaining silent had crossed his mind, but he wanted to be rid of her presence as fast as possible, so he decided to speak.

"Mmm, I believe I already told you, I want to make you into my slave, but that's not the goal for today." Esdeath stated with a smirk. "Today we're going to find out what you value more, yourself or your people."

 _"... What?"_ He said to himself with a small frown.

Seeing the frown on his face, Esdeath explained. "Here's what we're going to do, I'm going to ask you a few questions, and if you answer to my liking, you can save some of your people. Right now I have around three hundred thousand Esperans as my prisoners. I could just kill them, and rid myself of them, but then I had an idea, and that idea was to let you decide their fates."

Tatsumi didn't like this, he didn't like this one bit.

"Now that you understand what's going on. Let's begin." Esdeath started with an even bigger grin. "First question, will you break?"

"No," Tatsumi answered immediately, as much as he wanted to save the lives of his people, he had promised himself that he wouldn't yield to her.

"I see," Came Esdeath's response with a slow nod. "Second question, where did your family run off to? Oh, and keep in mind that this answer is worth forty thousand lives."

Tatsumi was a little hesitant to reply. He knew he couldn't reveal the location, but knowing that he was going to sentence forty thousand people to their deaths troubled him greatly.

"I don't know." He answered after a while.

"Hmm, alright then." Spoke Esdeath in an indifferent tone. "Third Question, why did your army lose, even though you had more numbers than I did?"

"... Do I have to answer this?" He asked after a few seconds of silence.

He was pretty sure they both knew the reason why they lost, it was because of her, so he didn't see the point of answering the question. All it would do was boost her ego.

"That depends, do you care for your people?" She replied with an amused look.

Tatsumi was once again silent. His pride didn't want to admit that it was because of her, but he knew if he didn't say that, then thousands would die.

"... It was because of you." He said as he looked down at the floor. "You and your powers were the reason why we lost."

"So you're saying that my army had nothing to do with it? That they were weak?" Esdeath questioned as she crossed her arms under her bust, her voice was neutral and didn't hold any emotions.

"Yes," Tasumi confessed with a blank expression. "Unlike you, they weren't strong, at least in my eyes."

Mmm, at least in your eyes." Esdeath said aloud as she raised her left hand and tapped her chin. "If I'm being honest, I don't like that response, but because it's from your perspective, I will spare the fifteen thousand people's lives that were on the line."

Tatsumi didn't show it with his face, but that statement pissed him off.

However, Esdeath noticed the look in his eyes. They had a trace of anger in them.

"Oh? Did you get vexed by my comment, Tatsumi?" Esdeath asked with a grin. "Did you not like how I casually talked about killing them?"

The prince refused to answer the questions.

Seeing that he wasn't going to respond, Esdeath spoke. "If you don't answer those questions, then fifty thousand people are going to die. Answer me."

With great reluctance, Tatsumi reacted. "... Yes, it bothered me."

"I don't like how you took your time in responding to me, so I'm going to kill them." Esdeath declared with an even bigger grin causing Tatsumi's eyes to widen.

"What-" He started, but was stopped by a swift kick to the face that made him crash into the ground along with a bit of blood escaping his mouth.

"You only speak when I ask you a question," Esdeath stated, her face showing no signs of amusement, making it look like she was being completely serious. "remember you're my slave, and slaves don't speak to their masters, unless their master has a question for them."

Tatsumi was silent as he brought his chained hands to his face to wipe away the trail of blood. Once he had cleaned the blood off of his face, he looked at her and said in a cold tone. "Go fuck yourself."

At this Esdeath smiled sadistically. "Let's add another fifty thousand souls to the list of to be killed."

The prince just stared at her, a part of him did regret what he just said, but another part of him hated her, and just wanted to get under her skin.

After nearly a minute of silently staring at one another, Esdeath broke the silence. "I'll be back for you later. I have some preparations to make, but don't worry it won't take me that long."

With that said, Esdeath rose from the chair and began to leave the room, as she did this, Tatsumi spoke. "I'm going to kill you one of these days. I don't know when, but I want you to know that you're going to die by me."

"That's cute." Was all Esdeath said before the door closed, leaving Tatsumi to dwell on the consequences of his actions.

* * *

As Numa watched the refugees of Ylona come pouring into the fortress, he couldn't help from releasing a sigh of relief.

For the past few days he had wondered if it was only his family that had escaped Ylona, so seeing Commander Vitalion along with the remnants of his legion escorting the large group of civilians brought him comfort.

 _"These people are alive because of you and your friend Tatsumi. I want you to know that if it wasn't for you, they would have all died."_ Numa said to himself as he continued to watch the civilians and soldiers enter the fortress.

"Your Majesty," Came Theo's voice causing Numa to cast a sideglance and see Theo climbing up the stone steps. "I had just spoken to Commander Vitalion, and from what he's told me he has around twelve thousand troops that are combat ready."

"That's good to hear." Numa said aloud as he shifted his attention back towards the horde of people. "This castle is the biggest one in Espera, and can hold up to a hundred thousand people, so having another ten plus thousand troops guarding it will help a lot."

Because of the fortress' size, Numa's father had placed a small garrison of ten thousand troops here along with a large amount of food for Ylona should they ever have a shortage of food.

"... Are you sure you should go down South?" Theo asked after a few seconds of silence as he looked at the Esperans.

"Yes," Numa answered with no hesitation. "with my family at Haven, I shouldn't have to fear for their safety, and with Commander Vitalion here, I shouldn't have to fret about the survivors' safety."

"Still, you're a king, aren't you suppose to lead them?" Theo said with a bit of reluctance. He didn't know why Numa wanted him around, but he guessed it was because he was the only one who knew Tatsumi in his teenage years and because of his skill with a sword.

"Yes, but I'm also a brother, and I want vengeance," Numa confessed, a trace of anger in his voice. "Tatsumi may have been a troublemaker and caused some problems when we were young, but he was still my little brother. I loved him, and he didn't deserve to die at the age of twenty."

Theo could agree with this. He may not have known Tatsumi on a super deep level, but he knew enough to where he could say Tatsumi was a good man.

"Well, if vengeance is what you want, then I'm all for helping you achieve it." Theo stated causing Numa to look at him. "Tatsumi wasn't the only one I lost in this war, I lost my best friend and the girl I loved. They took everything from me."

Numa stared at the one-eyed warrior for a few seconds before smiling and saying to him. "We'll be heading South tomorrow, get a good night's rest, for the journey will be a long and grueling one."

* * *

Tatsumi's train of thought was interrupted by the sound of the metal door opening.

He didn't know how long it had passed since Esdeath left him, but over the time of her being he had been reflecting on his actions, and had come to terms with them.

There was still a part of him that hated himself for allowing his pride to get in the way, but there was nothing that he could do. He doubted that even if he apologized to her and begged Esdeath to spare his people she would do that.

She had made it clear that she plans on breaking his will, so he had to be strong. He had to abandon some of his humanity so that he could avenge all those that had died today. He had to abandon his empathy and sympathy.

Opening his eyes, Tatsumi watched as four Imperials along with the largest of the Three Beasts enter the room.

"How you doing, Your Highness?" Daidara asked in an enthusiastic voice.

Tatsumi didn't respond. He simply glared at the man.

Seeing that he wasn't going to reply, Daidara started to talk again. "My lady would have came to get you herself, but she's still busy gathering your citizens so she wanted me to escort you to her. Now before you get any ideas, let me point this out that we're on a time limit, and that if we don't arrive within thirty minutes she'll kill everyone, so if you still care about the ones you saved, then I suggest you cooperate."

Hearing this made Tatsumi think. The thought of fighting the five soldiers had crossed his mind, but after thinking about for a little longer, he realized that it would be better to just cooperate.

"... I'll cooperate." Tatsumi stated after a while.

"Great."

...

...

...

The walk out of the palace had been slightly annoying due to the fact that he had been practically immobilized. The four soldiers that were assisting Esdeath's bodyguard wielded these metal poles that were attached to the shackles around his neck, which allowed them to basically control his movements. The cuffs around his wrists and ankles were a little too tight, but he didn't say anything, for he highly doubted they'd lose them for him.

After walking out of the palace, and being led to the city square, Tatsumi was greeted by the sights of hundreds upon hundreds of Esperans, Esdeath's soldiers who surrounded said Esperans, and Esdeath who stood on a wooden platform before them all.

The Esperans who were at the front of the crowd that had been gathered had noticed Tatsumi almost immediately and began to call out to him.

"Isn't that Prince Tatsumi? His Majesty's twin brother!?"

"That's His Highness, Prince Tatsumi is alive!"

"Imperial scum! Release His Highness immediately!"

Tatsumi didn't look at the civilians, but a small smile was written on his face.

Esdeath who was watching from her platform couldn't help from grinning as she watched some of the crowd members try to push past her men, she was really going to enjoy what comes next.

After being guided up the stairs, and forced on his knees, Esdeath moved from her position towards Tatsumi and looked at him.

"You didn't take long, I expected you to try resisting." Esdeath stated with a grin.

"... I'm here, and I didn't offer any resistance." Was all Tatsumi said in an emotionless tone.

"I see," Came her response as she stared at him. "well, I guess I should begin."

After a soldier gave her a microphone, Esdeath addressed the crowd of Esperans. "Greetings, people of Ylona, I am General Esdeath, and today I have an important announcement to make."

The majority of the crowd had fallen silent upon hearing Esdeath's voice, but there were some who had hurled insults at her.

Esdeath, however, didn't seem to care, for she just continued speaking.

"I am going to be leaving this city, I have defeated the Esperan army, and now have no more reason to stay. However, I will not be leaving with nothing, I am going to be taking your Prince, Tatsumi Seika with me." She paused after saying that, so that she could hear the Esperans' response.

Hearing the Esperans demand for his release really made Tatsumi happy, and made it impossible for him to hide his smile.

After listening to them for a while, Esdeath resumed her speech. "It's funny that you demand me to release him, even though he's the one that sentenced all of you to your deaths."

 _"What?"_ Was all Tatsumi could say as he looked at Esdeath who had a sadistic smirk on her face.

With no warning whatsoever a giant ball of ice fell from the sky and landed on the center crowd, crushing a huge part of it.

The Esperans cried out in shock and fear as Esdeath continued talking. "I want you all to know that you're all dying because of your Prince, Tatsumi Seika. He could have saved your lives, but he valued his pride more than your lives. Men, kill them all."

Esdeath's men didn't hesitate for a second, they obeyed her command with no hesitation.

 _"Your Highness help-"_

 _"No, stop."_ Tatsumi said as he watched his people get slaughtered.

 _"Your Highness! Please help-"_

 _"Stop it."_ He said as a tear began to fall from his right eye.

 _"Your Highness!"_

 _"Help us!"_

 _"I don't want to die, please someone-"_

 _"No, get away!"_

"Please, stop..." Tatsumi whispered as he observed more and more of his people be slaughtered like lambs.

Esdeath who was watching Tatsumi smirked.

 _"I told you I would break you, and I will. By the end of this month, I will have you calling me master, Tatsumi Seika."_ She said as she watched the tears pour down his face.

* * *

 **(Revan's AN): And who are you? The proud lord said, that I must bow so... Low. In a coat of red, a crimson red, the Esdeath is a... I don't know, monster doesn't rhyme really. Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed it. I believe I have portrayed her greatly, the real question is, how will love blossom between the two of them? I mean, let's be honest, I doubt there will be love, I mean, Stockholm Syndrome is a thing, but my God, I just don't see Tatsumi ever loving this woman. She just killed like a hundred plus thousand people in front of him, his people, and made it known that he was the cause of it. I think that was fucked up. Anyways, I'm ending it here. I'll see you guys later.**

 **Link to the discord server:** discord .gg/ uDxVym8


	14. The Start Of A Cold Trip

**(Revan's AN): I hope you all enjoy this chapter.**

 **Full Summary:** Tatsumi Seika, the second son of Kaito Seika, was a rebellious child. Unlike his siblings, he didn't care about the duties of a prince, and after being told that he was going to marry some noblewoman, he ran away from home. Now, after five years of being away, Tatsumi has finally returned.

 **Non-canon, single-pairing, OOC Characters.**

* * *

 _"Flashbacks" -_ **Thinking**

"Flashbacks" - _**Talking**_

 _[Flashbacks]_ **\- Letters or Reports.**

 **Theme Song: Rise, by The Glitch Mob, Mako, and The Word Alive.**

 **Main Writer:** Revan the Edgelord

 **Co-Writer:** None.

* * *

Tatsumi couldn't help from shuddering as he hugged his knees in an attempt to warm himself.

They had departed from Ylona two days ago, and were about to reach a small town when all of a sudden a snowstorm started.

At first, he was happy that this happened because this meant that it would take them longer to reach the border and enter the Empire's territory, but after what felt like hours of being in it, he had grown to hate it.

The reason why was because it was freezing cold, and there was no way for him to get warm. Unlike Esdeath's troops, he didn't have a thick blanket to wrap around him he only had the clothes on his back.

"I-I'm go-going to d-die from hy-hy-hypothermia at th-this rate." He muttered to himself as he continued to hug his legs.

With his teeth clattering, Tatsumi began to wonder if his captives cared about his wellbeing anymore. Esdeath may have claimed that he was her prize and that she planned on breaking him, but since leaving Ylona, she has yet to check on him and see how he was doing.

The last time he had seen her was when they were shoving him into the prison wagon, after that he's not once spotted her. Her subordinates rarely checked up on him as well, the only time they paid really any attention to him was when they were giving him his meal, besides that they didn't bother looking after him.

As if the Gods had heard his thoughts, Tatsumi saw a torch approaching his wagon. Seeing it come his way made him sigh in relief. He may hate Esdeath and her men, but right now he hated the cold more than he hated them.

After about a minute of waiting, Tatsumi was greeted by several soldiers, and one of Esdeath's bodyguards.

"Open the door." Liver commanded after examining Tatsumi for a couple of seconds. "He can't stay out here any longer."

 _"So they purposefully left me here..."_ Tatsumi said to himself as the cage's door was unlocked and opened.

Throwing Tatsumi a blanket, Liver said to him. "Wrap yourself up, and let's go, my lady is waiting."

Tatsumi didn't bother taking his time; he wanted to get out of the cold as soon as possible, so for now, he was going to comply with their commands.

After covering himself with the blanket Tatsumi exited the wagon, it had taken him a little while due to his chains and his body being stiff, but he was able to get out.

With him out of the carriage, Liver and the soldiers led Tatsumi back to the encampment.

...

...

...

Upon arriving at Esdeath's tent, Tatsumi was shoved into it and was welcomed to a sight he didn't expect to see at all in his life.

Sitting in a chair wearing practically nothing but a white button-up shirt was Esdeath. In her hands was a piece of paper and glass that was filled with what looked like wine.

Seeing that Tatsumi arrived, Esdeath greeted him with a smile. "Welcome, I would have had my men get you sooner, but I thought some time out in the cold would help you."

Tatsumi didn't say anything to her. His attention was currently on the small fire in the center of the tent.

Noticing that Tatsumi was looking at the fire, Esdeah gestured to it. "Feel free to sit by the fire and warm yourself up. I don't want you to be losing any fingers or toes."

Tatsumi looked at her for several seconds. As much as he wanted to go and sit down by the fire, a part of him felt like she was going to shoot an icicle or something at it and put it out.

"You think I'm going to put it out, don't you?" Esdeath said after staring at him for a while.

"... Yes." He answered reluctantly.

"Trust me, I'm not," Esdeath replied before taking a sip of her drink. "the thought did cross my mind, but if you lose body parts now, then your potential will slowly dwindle, and I don't want that to happen. I want you to be a strong subordinate of mine that's loyal only to me."

Tatsumi still didn't move from his spot, for he still doubted her.

Seeing that he wasn't going to move, Esdeath shrugged and said aloud. "Fine, stay there, if you wanna stand there glaring at me, then feel free to do so. You won't be bothering me."

The brown haired Seika didn't respond, he allowed silence to fill the room, but eventually, he did move to the campfire and sat down by it.

Tatsumi didn't have a problem with this silence. He had no words to be exchanged with her, at least any pleasant words.

Esdeath, on the other hand, had thought about asking Tatsumi a few questions due to her being curious about him. She didn't know really anything about him besides that he was a prince who had ran away from home.

With curiosity getting the better of her, Esdeath said to him. "I have a few questions for you, Tatsumi."

Tatsumi hesitated to respond. He didn't want to talk to her, but he knew that if he didn't reply, then she would most likely threaten him.

"... What do you want?" He asked after a while.

"Your weapon, did you craft it?" She questioned as she got up from her chair and moved to her bed that way she could see his face.

"... No, I found it on some dead adventurer." He confessed as he stared into the flames.

"I see," She said with a nod. "and who taught you how to fight like that?"

"... Lot's of people." He answered after a few seconds. "I learned from a lot of people."

"Hmm," Esdeath hummed before taking another sip of her drink, which happened to be the last sip due to there being nothing left in the glass.

As silence filled the tent, Esdeath thought about what else they could discuss. It was clear that he didn't want to talk, but she didn't care, he belonged to her, and that meant she got decided what he could do and what he can't do.

"Do you hate me, Tatsumi?" She asked him after a few seconds of thinking.

At this, Tatsumi snorted. "Do you even have to ask?"

"Yes." She answered.

"Without a fucking doubt, I despise you more than anything in this world." He declared as he glared at her.

"You say these things, yet you have no problem entering my tent, and sitting down by my fire." She said with a bit of amusement. "You're a strange man."

Hearing this made the prince look away. It's not like he had a choice in the matter.

"I think you're going to break Tatsumi," Esdeath claimed after a while as she continued to stare at him. "it might take me a while, but I do believe you're going to break and become my slave, it's only a matter of time."

"... The day I become your slave, is the day I kill myself." Tatsumi affirmed as he looked back at her, his voice holding no emotion.

Esdeath laughed upon hearing this, and said to him. "You're not going to kill yourself, you're not that type of person."

"You don't know me." He curtly stated.

"You're right, I don't know you, but I do know that you're not the type to kill yourself." Esdeath replied as she stared into his eyes. "You're more of the type who would seek vengeance, and that's why you entered this tent. You can't die here, you're going to wait for the perfect opportunity and try getting revenge on me for killing all those people, right?"

The prince didn't respond. She was right, he had no intentions of killing himself, at least not until he avenged his people. He was going to survive and kill Esdeath, once he did that, then he could embrace death, but until then, he couldn't embrace it. He had to live.

Seeing that he wasn't going to reply, Esdeath said one more thing to him. "I'll be going to sleep now, so if you want to kill me, then feel free to try, but I want you to know that if you fail, you're going to be stripped of your clothing and crawl to the Capital like a dog."

Tatsumi glared at her in response. Was she trying to say that he'll be spending the night here?

"... Noted." He affirmed as she laid down on the bed.

"Good, because I really don't want to make you crawl. It would take forever to get to the Capital, especially in this storm." Esdeath stated as she stared up at the tent's ceiling.

With nothing coming out of Tatsumi's mouth in response, Esdeath said aloud. "I hope you get a good night's rest, Tatsumi, for you're going to need it."

* * *

Tatsumi was pulled from his slumber by the feeling of someone kicking him in the ribs. Opening his eyes, he was greeted by the sight of Esdeath looking down at him, written on her face was a grin.

"It's time to get up, Tatsumi." She stated, amusement in her voice.

The prince in response glared at her. He didn't fall asleep last night for a while due to him believing that Esdeath would try something, so he was only able to get a few good hours of sleep.

Seeing him scowl at her caused her to narrow her eyes. "I give you a place to sleep for the night, and let you sleep in, and what do I get in response? A scowl from you?"

"... You kicked me." He declared, traces of annoyance in his voice.

"Oh boo-hoo, I've done a lot worse to you, so you shouldn't fret over trivial things like that." She stated before walking away to the small round table that had two chairs on opposite sides from one another. "It's unbecoming of you."

Tatsumi didn't bother saying anything more. It would just be a waste of breath.

After getting up off the ground, Tatsumi noticed that there were two plates of food on the table. There was a plate in front of Esdeath, and then across from her was a plate full of food.

Noticing the prince's look, she said to him. "Eat with me."

"... Why?" He asked after a few seconds of staring.

"Because I said so." Came her response, a tinge of annoyance in her voice.

"I don't want to." Tatsumi replied with a frown. The meal have looked delicious, but there was no way in hell he was going to sit down and eat with her.

" _Sit down_." Esdeath commanded as she glared at him.

"No." He declared with a defiant look on his face and in his eyes.

"Tatsumi, if you deny me one more time, I will punish you. _Come here, and sit down_." Esdeath stated, latched to her voice was anger, and written on her face was irritation.

"I'm not your slave, you can't force me to eat with you." Tatsumi stated with a scowl. He knew that he was just causing himself problems, but he didn't care. He'd rather sit in his cage and freeze thann sit down and have a meal with her.

Growing tired of his defiance, Esdeath got up from her seat and marched over to him. Tatsumi in response to this had tensed a little bit, but he didn't falter, he just stared into her eyes.

Grabbing ahold of his face with one hand, Esdeath brought it to her own said to him. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Tatsumi didn't say anything. He simply continued to stare into his eyes.

Taking this as her answer, she let go of him and said out loud. "Daidara!"

Not even two seconds later, the largest of Esdeath's bodyguards entered the tent, and said, "You summoned me, my lady?"

"Tatsumi here needs to be punished. Give him thirty-nine lashes and make sure he's not fed for two whole days." Esdeath ordered as she pushed the prince away from her with the one hand that was holding her face.

"Understood, my lady," Daidara said with a nod before grabbing ahold of Tatsumi arm. "come on Your Highness, we're going to find out if you're a screamer or not!"

Tatsumi jerked his body away from the blonde. He didn't need to be escorted out of the tent, he could walk out of it on his own.

Esdeath couldn't help from smiling as she watched Tatsumi walk out of the tent with Daidara behind him. Even though he had annoyed her, she had to give him a small amount of respect, for not many people could look her in the eyes like he did.

 _"You really are going to be a strong slave, aren't you, my little prince?"_ She said to herself as she returned to her seat.

* * *

After receiving his lashes Tatsumi was dragged and thrown into the prison wagon.

He didn't scream at all during his lashing, but upon the whip hitting him for the thirty-fifth time, he did release a hushed grunt of pain. A medic had checked him once Daidara had finished the lashings, and had informed him that Tatsumi should be alright, he might experience a lot of pain, but he should survive from this.

With a blanket being thrown at him, one of the soldiers said to him. "Maybe next time, you'll think twice about angering our great general, Esperan scum."

Tatsumi didn't respond. He instead enveloped himself in the thick blanket. He had considered threatening the soldier who had just spoken, but the man honestly wasn't worth his breath. The man was just acting tough because he knew that he couldn't do anything at the moment.

As the soldiers walked away, snow began to fall from the sky once again.

It was going to be a cold and cruel trip, but that was alright, for he was going to live.

He had to.

* * *

 **(Revan's AN): Man stubbornness can be a pain, but there's a saying, _Pain, without love, Pain, can't get enough, Pain, I like it rough, for I'd rather feel Pain than nothing at all_. Alright, with that said, I had planned on doing a scene with Numa, but after some thinking, I've decided not yet. Next chapter will have Numa, this one was just going to be Esdeath x Tatsumi. Oh, and I actually want to talk about Esdeath for a couple minutes, so prepare for small rant.**

 **Alright, so Esdeath in here, is pretty cruel, I'd say, and I like that. If I'm being perfectly honest, I don't like how some fanfics portray her. There are some fanfics that make the, "Wow he's strong, I want his dick and babies." work, and then there are some fanfics who just ruin her character. Esdeath isn't a good person, and before she fell in love with Tatsumi, (talking about canon) she was fucking cruel as hell, so that's what I'm doing here. A lot of people have messaged me about her, and I'm getting a little annoyed with that.**

 **With this said, I'll be calling it, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, see you guys in the next one.**

 **Link to the discord server:** discord .gg/ uDxVym8


	15. A Prince's Treatment

**(Revan's AN): I hope you all enjoy this chapter.**

 **Full Summary:** Tatsumi Seika, the second son of Kaito Seika, was a rebellious child. Unlike his siblings, he didn't care about the duties of a prince, and after being told that he was going to marry some noblewoman, he ran away from home. Now, after five years of being away, Tatsumi has finally returned.

 **Non-canon, single-pairing, OOC Characters.**

* * *

 _"Flashbacks" -_ **Thinking**

"Flashbacks" - _**Talking**_

 _[Flashbacks]_ **\- Letters or Reports.**

 **Theme Song: Rise, by The Glitch Mob, Mako, and The Word Alive.**

 **Main Writer:** Revan the Edgelord

 **Co-Writer:** None.

* * *

Farah released a sigh as she walked the castle's halls.

Just how long had it been since they've fled Ylona?

It felt like it has been months, but in reality, they had only left the city little over a week ago.

"Oh, Your Highness..." She said softly as she looked at the ground with an expression of sadness. "Why did you do this to me?"

Ever since he had told her that he believed he'd loved her, she hadn't been the same. Usually, she would enjoy roaming down the halls looking at the ancient paintings and vases, but after losing His Highness, she didn't really find any enjoyment in walking the halls.

Instead, she was just constantly reminded of the prince that she was taking care off.

Tatsumi may not have been the easiest patient to deal with at the start due to her fearing that he made get mad at her for not allowing him to do what he wanted, but after weeks of looking after him, she believed that he was the best patient that she could have asked for.

Sure, there were times where he was very stubborn, and would complain about how he wanted to do something else rather than laying down in bed, but besides that, he was a wonderful patient.

If he needed to have some medicine taken, he would take it with no problems. He wouldn't be like some people, and say things along the line like, "I don't need medicine." or "No, I refuse to take medicine." Tatsumi would just simply listen to her and take whatever it is that he needed to take without creating a fuss.

"Farah," Came the voice of Tatsumi's mother causing her to look up, and see his mother walking towards her with four members of the Royal Guard accompanying her.

"Your Majesty," Farah responded with a respectful bow. Even though she may have looked after her son, Farah still had to address her properly, for she was the former queen.

"is everything alright? I feel like I haven't seen you in a long time." Tatsumi's mother stated. Ever since the fall of Ylona, Farah had practically became apart of the royal family, however, since arriving here, she rarely spent time with Tatsumi's family members.

"Y-Yes, Your Majesty..." Farah began before pausing. "Actually, no. I don't think everything's alright."

"Is there something on your mind, my dear?" Tatsumi's mother asked him with a small frown. She didn't know what the relationship was between her son and this woman, but she knew that there was something between them. After all, why would Tatsumi take her to the secret passageway in the garden if he didn't care for her?

"It's what His Highness, Tatsumi said to me before we left Ylona," Farah stated as her eyes dropped to the ground. "I haven't been able to get what he said out of my mind, and every time I think about it, I have this painful feeling swelling inside of my chest."

Tatsumi's mother's frowned deepened upon hearing this. Although she mourned for her son, she didn't really show it publicly. Like Numa, she had to be strong, and move along. She needed to do this for Yuki and Akihiko's sake.

"If you don't mind me asking," His mother began causing the sun-kissed woman to look up at her. "what did he say to you?"

"He..." She started before placing a hand above her heart, a look of sadness decorated her face. "He said that he loved me..."

His mother's eyes widened slightly after hearing this. She had figured that Tatsumi was fond of her, but she didn't think that her late son would have been in love with her.

"R-Really?" Tatsumi's mother asked, a small trace of doubt and curiosity in her voice.

"Y-Yes," Farah affirmed. "I knew he cared for me, but I didn't think he would have feelings for me..."

As she said this tears started to form in her eyes.

Seeing this made Tatsumi's mother look at her guards and quickly gesture for them to leave, so that they could continue this talk in private.

The four guards didn't need to be told twice. They knew they shouldn't be hearing this type of stuff, and had made mental notes to drink heavily tonight that way they could forget what they had heard.

With her guards gone, Tatsumi's mother averted her attention back to the woman that her son had fallen in love with, and said to her. "Tell me everything, my dear."

* * *

" _Wakey, wakey, Your Highness_!" Came a man's voice in a mocking manner causing Tatsumi's eyes to snap open and see a handful of Esdeath's men surrounding the prison wagon. The man who had called out to him had banged on the cage's bars in the loudest way possible as well.

Tatsumi didn't say anything to the group of soldiers he merely stared at them with a blank expression.

"How's it going, _Your Highness_? Are you enjoying the journey so far?" One of the soldier's to his left said as he grabbed ahold of the bars and brought his face as close as he possibly could to it.

Once again, Tatsumi didn't say anything. He just stared at him.

This wasn't the first time Esdeath's soldiers did this to him. After he had been whipped by the largest of Esdeath's bodyguards, her soldiers started visiting his wagon. They would do it while they were traveling. They'd do it when the army would stop to take a break or clear the road. They'd do it when they'd stop for the night, and they'd do it in the morning.

He was practically getting harassed by her troops every day, twenty-four hours a day.

Seeing that he wasn't going to respond, one of the soldiers to his right said to the group. "He's obviously not, I mean look at him. His eyes are bloodshot, his hair is all disheveled, and he has bags under his eyes! _His Highness_ is clearly not enjoying the trip."

At this, the group that surrounded the wagon began to laugh, for it was all true; due to him constantly being bothered by her men, Tatsumi had a difficult time sleeping. The max amount of time he could sleep before being woken up was thirty minutes.

"Hey, hey, Your Highness, are you starting to get annoyed?" Another soldier asked him, a smirk written on his face.

Tatsumi didn't reply, he merely closed his eyes and attempted to enter the dream world once again.

However, this action made the troop who had first called out to him hit the cage prompting the Esperan to open up his eyes again.

With his attention back on him, the man said to Tatsumi. "I don't like it when you ignore us, if you don't want to eat shit, then I suggest you respond."

In truth, no one was allowed to mess with Tatsumi when it came to his food. Esdeath would personally oversee the preparations of his meals just to make sure that her men didn't attempt to poison him.

"... Go fuck yourself." Tatsumi said after a few seconds of staring at the man. His voice that of a hoarse whisper.

"What did you say to me?" The man demanded as he glared at the prince.

"I said, go fuck yourself." Tatsumi repeated, his expression still holding no emotion.

"It seems you haven't learned your place, Esperan scum." The man stated as he pulled out his club. "Maybe, we should take you and remind you what you are."

"I would prefer if you didn't." Came a voice that they were all familiar with causing the soldiers to turn around and see Esdeath standing not so far from them. She had a small smile on her face, and wore her general's coat.

"General Esdeath!" The soldiers said in unison as they entered a salute.

Esdeath at first didn't respond. She knew that her troops were messing with Tatsumi, and quite frankly didn't care, but this morning when she had checked up on him, she had noticed his condition and realized that he needed a break from their targeting. Which was why she was here, she was going to let him relax in her tent.

"I understand that this man had killed your comrades, and that you want vengeance, but Tatsumi is _my_ property," Esdeath stated as she looked at her men, her tone was firm and serious. "there are certain things you can't do to him, and taking him out of that wagon is one of those things. As well as inflicting harm on him. If I find that you had inflicted pain without my permission, then you five will be subjugated to some light torture. Is that understood?"

"Yes, General Esdeath!" The troops said with a nod of their heads.

"Good, now return to your tents." Esdeath ordered with a smile.

The troops wasted no time, and quickly scurried on past her. Leaving the general and the prince all alone.

"You look terrible," Esdeath stated after approaching the exit of the cage.

"... I've been better." Tatsumi admitted in a slightly tired attitude. He didn't want to say it, but he was thankful that she had stepped in. The reason why was because he doubted he could have taken on those men in his current condition. He was chained, and tired.

"I could believe that." Esdeath said with a chuckle as she opened up the cage's door. "Come, let's return to my tent. There you can get some proper rest, and a warm meal."

Esdeath had held out her hand for him when she said this which caused Tatsumi to frown slightly. As much as he wanted to deny her, he really wanted to get some sleep.

 _"Just this once... Just this one time, I won't resist."_ He said to himself as he took the hand that she offered him and exited the wagon.

With a smile, Esdeath said to him. "Can you walk, or do you need me to carry you?"

I... I can walk." He answered.

With that said, Esdeath gestured for him to take the lead in which he complied and began walking.

He didn't see this due to his back facing her, but Esdeath's lips had curved upwards more.

...

...

...

After arriving at Esdeath's tent, Tatsumi was greeted by a couple of things that made him question if it was a good idea coming here.

One of those things was the large metal tub full of water.

Esdeath, who had came to a stop next to him had noticed his gaze and couldn't help from laughing. "Relax, I'm not going to bathe you. Although you could use one, I have no intention of cleaning you up."

"... Then what's it doing here?" Tatsumi asked after a few seconds of staring at the tub.

"Isn't that obvious? I'm a woman, and I care about my hygiene." Esdeath replied as she took off her coat and set it on the racket along with her cap.

Tatsumi didn't say anything, but a very tiny blush had decorated his face. Even though he despised Esdeath with the fire of a thousand suns, he had to admit she wasn't that bad looking. She didn't rival Farah, but she did come close.

Seeing that he was silent for a good while, a thought had entered her mind. "Wait... Are you perhaps wanting me to wash you?"

"No, not happening." Tatsumi answered immediately in a firm tone.

At this, Esdeath clicked her tongue in annoyance. "You're no fun, but I am going to have to see your back. I need to check those wounds of yours."

"... If you must." He replied after a bit of contemplating. He didn't know why she was checking them since one of her medics could do it, but he wasn't going to question it. He didn't want to accidentally invoke her wrath, not until he got some proper sleep.

"If I must," Esdeath repeated, a bit of amusement latched to her voice. "it makes it sound like you don't have a choice in the matter."

"Do I?" Tatsumi questioned as he looked at her.

"No, not in this matter." Esdeath answered with a smirk.

"Thought so." He replied as he averted his attention elsewhere.

* * *

"We'll set up camp here." Numa declared as he turned around and looked at his escorts.

Because he was the King of Espera, he couldn't exactly travel by himself, so he had to bring members of the Royal Guards. However, to avoid people's gazes, Numa had decided that they look like a mercenary group.

He of course still wore his armor, but the majority of the Royal Guards that had came with him had traded their shiny silver armor for studded and reinforced leather armor. There was only a handful of them had copied the late prince Tatsumi's style of armor.

"You heard him, let's set up camp!" Lieutenant Iguchi commanded before dismounting. He was one of the few Royal Guards that were outside of the palace that managed to escape Ylona. Although he didn't come out unscathed.

He had received some minor injuries, but nothing major that made him unable to fight.

One of the rules while traveling with Numa was to not address him as _His Majesty_ or _Your Majesty_ for if they did there was a chance they'd attract unwanted attention and that was something Numa didn't want. Instead, they'd have to address him as _Boss_.

As the Royal Guards dismounted and began to start setting up camp, Theo approached Numa, who had yet to dismount.

"How long do you think it'll take us to reach the Revolutionary Army's headquarters?" Theo questioned, latched to his voice was curiosity.

"If we have good weather, then I'd say a few weeks max, but if it keeps on having these snowstorms, then probably a month or two." Numa declared as he looked at the one-eyed warrior.

" A few weeks..." Theo said aloud with his lips curved slightly downwards.

"Yep, a few weeks." Numa repeated.

"... Do you think the Empire will fall if you assist the Revolutionary Army?" Theo asked after a few seconds of silence.

"Maybe," Numa said after a couple seconds of thinking. "I'm not really sure. Esdeath isn't the only demon on the battlefield that is a part of the Empire. I heard that their Great General, Budo was a person not to be underestimated."

"And yet you still want to go to war with them." Theo said with a now fully formed frown. If there was another person who was similar to Esdeath in terms of strength, then shouldn't their goal be to avoid going to war with them?

"Just because they have two strong warriors doesn't mean that their victory is assured. The Revolutionary Army has powerful warriors as well. They might not be as strong as though two, but they do make up for it in numbers." Numa stated as he cast the green-haired male a look.

"You may be right, but most of the time quality prevails over quantity." Theo said in response.

Numa didn't say anything, for what Theo said was true.

They had outnumbered Esdeath and her troops, and had a stronghold to defend against them, and yet they still managed to lose to the Empire.

It was infuriating, but sometimes the truth could be infuriating.

* * *

After Esdeath had finished examing his wounds, she started to apply a topical antibiotic to prevent them from becoming infected.

Just from her first glance, Esdeath was able to tell that not all of the lacerations would heal. In fact, she believed that more than twenty of the cuts would remain.

 _"It amazes me that he didn't scream once when he was receiving these from Daidara."_ Esdeath said to herself as she covered his lacerations with the ointment.

Tatsumi couldn't help from shuddering a little upon feeling her hands touch his flesh. The reason why he did this was because her hands were cold.

As time moved on, Tatsumi couldn't help from scowling. _"We're enemies... Esdeath is my enemy, the person I vowed to kill... And yet she is treating my injuries... This feels wrong."_

"You have quite the athletic build, Tatsumi." Esdeath stated as she finished coating his cuts, breaking the silence between them.

"... Thanks?" Tatsumi replied, traces of uncertainty in his voice. Was she complimenting him?

"You're not very good at handling praise, are you?" She questioned with a chuckle.

"... Only from my enemies." He confessed with a frown. The atmosphere between them right now was weird, really weird.

"Are we enemies?" Esdeath said aloud before dabbing a towel onto his back. "From my perspective, it kind of looks like we're lovers."

Tatsumi had immediately moved away from her, and shouted. "That'll never happen!"

Esdeath was taken back not only by this action, but by his look. Even though, he had signs of exhaustion, Tatusmi right now looked... _Handsome_.

His disheveled hair, his slim but muscular frame, his eyes, practically everything about him at the moment screamed, _beautiful_.

Esdeath didn't say anything in response for a while. All she did was stare into those emerald green eyes that were burning with anger and hatred.

Eventually, she broke her silence and said to him. "I'm done tending to your injuries. Hurry up and put your clothes. I'm going to start making dinner."

* * *

 **(Revan's AN): What's this? Is this possibly the start of love? Pfft, fat chance, Esdeath isn't going to fall in love with him just because he is half naked, and angry. It'll take more then that to charm her. Alright, um I don't think I have a rant for the day, I mean I was thinking of doing a longer chapter, but I've been putting a friend on hold for a while, so I'm going to end it here, and play with him. See ya guys later.**

 **Link to the discord server:** discord .gg/ uDxVym8


	16. A Prince And His Food

**(Revan's AN): I hope you all enjoy this chapter, and if you don't, then I want it to be known that I, Revan The Edgelord, _STRUGGLED_ , to write this chapter. By that I mean I rewrote the first scene 3 times, and out of all of them I found this one to be the best, so with that said, let's get into it.**

 **Full Summary:** Tatsumi Seika, the second son of Kaito Seika, was a rebellious child. Unlike his siblings, he didn't care about the duties of a prince, and after being told that he was going to marry some noblewoman, he ran away from home. Now, after five years of being away, Tatsumi has finally returned.

 **Non-canon, single-pairing, OOC Characters.**

* * *

 _"Flashbacks" -_ **Thinking**

"Flashbacks" - _**Talking**_

 _[Flashbacks]_ **\- Letters or Reports.**

 **Theme Song: Rise, by The Glitch Mob, Mako, and The Word Alive.**

 **Main Writer:** Revan the Edgelord

 **Co-Writer:** None.

* * *

Sitting inside of a prison cell in an Imperial stronghold slowly doing pushups was the Esperan Prince, Tatsumi.

The army had crossed into the Empire's territory about three days ago, and had arrived at the Fort, Aebarrow which happened to be the largest fortress in the Northern Region two days ago.

Upon their arrival at the fort, Esdeath had announced to the fort's garrison that she would be staying at the fort for about a week and that her prisoner of war, aka himself was to be confined in a somewhat nice prison cell.

Now, he didn't know what she meant by that, and had assumed it was going to be similar to the cell in Ylona, but to his surprise, the cell wasn't like that at all. Unlike the cell in Ylona, this one had a bed. It also had a book, two chairs, and a table.

The reason why she had given this type of quarters was unknown to him, but he wasn't going to question it. However, this didn't lower his suspicion of her at all, in fact, it only raised his suspicion.

Why? Well, it was because it didn't make sense at all to him. All he's been doing so far is defying her, and yet she's been treating him kindly, which didn't may any sense to him. He told her that he'd kill her, and her response to that was feeding him.

 _"Thirty-one, thirty-two, thirty-three..."_ He said to himself as he gradually pushed himself up before slowly lowering himself back down to the ground.

It had been far too long since he had done any physical activity, and this was probably the best time to get some in, for he was no longer cuffed. When he was escorted to his cell, by Esdeath and some of her troops, she had removed his chains, and had told him that if he behaved well, he would no longer have to be bound by cuffs.

He didn't understand really what she meant by that at the time, and if he was being honest with himself, he still didn't. However, instead of trying to figure out what she meant, Tatsumi decided not to even worry about it and focus solely on himself.

What was important right now was making sure his body was ready for the possibility of escaping because a chance would arise one of these days. He might not know when, but one of these days the chance to escape would produce itself, and he needed to be ready to take it.

As he continued to do slow pushups, the sound of the barred door that lead to the holding cells was opened, and was followed by one of the guards shouting.

"Good morning gentlemen!" Came the guard's causing Tatsumi to look up and see the prisoner that was across the room from him slowly get out of his bed. "I hope you piece of shits had a good night's sleep!"

Tatsumi didn't respond, like usual, for he had grown used to these types of things.

The responses from the prisoners were a bunch of groans as well as a couple insults, but the guard didn't seem to care really about them. In fact, not long after he had entered the holding chambers did his attention shift towards Tatsumi who was still doing pushups.

"Anyways, it's feeding time." Spoke the guard before walking over to Tatsumi's cell. As he did this, a few guards came out from behind him with caurts that had trays of food on them.

Tatsumi's attention may had shifted back to the ground, but he knew the man was standing in front of his cell. He had done this yesterday when he was getting served his dinner, which was quite weird, but Tatsumi didn't bother asking him any questions. If the man wanted to be weird and watch him, he could, it wasn't like he was gaining anything from him.

"You didn't say good morning to me." The guard stated, breaking the silence between them and causing Tatsumi to stop mid pushup.

"... Was I?" Tatsumi questioned with his lips curved slightly downwards as he looked up at the man.

"Yeah, you're a prince, aren't you? You're supposed to be respectful to your lords." The guard stated as a small smile formed on his face. He looked like he was in his late twenties, and had black hair with reddish-orange eyes. He was tall and broad shoulders, and strapped to his waist was a baton.

Deciding not to respond, Tatsumi looked back down and continued to do his pushups which made the man frown.

Seeing this action enraged the guard. Just because he was Esdeath's prisoner didn't mean he could be disrespectful to him. He was practically the one in charge of the fort's dungeon, and that meant he got to decide what the prisoners eat, and what prisoner lived, and died.

Turning around, the guard quickly marched off to go grab Tatsumi's food that had been prepared by Esdeath herself before returning. The meal was nothing fancy, but compared to the other prisoner's food it was a king's plate.

With Tatsumi's food in hand, the guard said to him. "Hey."

Looking up, Tatsumi watched the man spit into his food as well as drop his biscuit onto the ground.

"Say good morning to me." The man ordered as he stared the Esperan down.

Tatsumi didn't say anything. He instead got up off of the ground and approached the cell bars.

"... Give me my food." Tatsumi said in an emotionless voice. He was pissed off, and was half tempted to reach out and grab him, but he had decided to remain calm and request for his food.

The man's response to his request was more saliva spat into Tatsumi's meal.

"... Give me, _my food_." Tatsumi requested again, this time traces of anger in his voice. The urge to slam the man against his cell's bars was starting to look very appealing. He had tolerated his captor's bullshit for a while now, but quite frankyl he was getting very sick of it.

At this, the man smirked and dropped the plate of food causing a crashing sound to erupt throughout the room which caused the prisoners and guards who were still distributing meals to divert their attention to the two of them.

Tatsumi glanced down at his food before looking back up at the man.

"Whoops, it looks like I-"

Those were the only words that left his mouth before Tatsumi grabbed ahold of the man and slammed him against the bars causing a banging noise to erupt throughout the large room.

He was tired of Esdeath's men treating her like this, he was tired of being bullied by these men who thought they were better than him, and he was tired of these Imperials thinking they can do these things to them without having to pay any prices or suffer any consequences. They needed to be taught a lesson.

Moving the dazed man back with his hand, Tatsumi slammed him against the bars again and repeated this action multiple times.

"H-Hey! Stop him!" Cried out a guard who was across the room.

One of the guards, a blond male, dropped the tray that he was holding in his hands, and rushed over to the two of them and had grabbed onto Tatsumi's wrist and tried to stop him, but like a train, Tatsumi didn't stop. He continued to slam the man's face against the bars over, and over, and over.

Each time the guard's face hit the bars, it became bloodier, and soon it became coated in nothing but blood.

Seeing that Tatsumi wasn't going to stop, another guard drew his pistol and pointed it at Tatsumi.

" _Release him now_." The guard ordered, he didn't care if this man was Esdeath's plaything. His comrade was getting murdered before his own eyes so he would kill him if Tatsumi didn't let go of him.

To his and everyone else's surprise, Tatsumi didn't let go of the man. He just continued to smash the man's face in with the bars.

Doubting that Tatsumi was going to let his comrade go, the guard pulled the trigger, but luckily for Tatsumi, a fourth guard had ran into him causing the man to miss.

"What do you think you're doing!? This is _Esdeath's_ prisoner! She'll torture you for life if you kill him!" Shouted silver-haired guard who had tackled the pistol-wielding guard to the ground.

"Can someone help me!" The blonde guard yelled who was still trying to stop Tatsumi. "At this rate, he's going to kill him!"

"Damn it, I'm opening the door!" The silver-haired guard said with annoyance as more soldiers poured into the room due to the gunshot. "We have to subdue him! I repeat subdue him! Do not kill him!"

At first, Tatsumi didn't even notice his door open, he was too enthralled with killing this guard. He was tired of this treatment, and he wanted them to know that he wasn't meant to be fucked with.

With the door opening, the guard who had stopped his comrade from killing Tatsumi rushed into the room and tackled Tatsumi to the ground.

The guard then attempted to pin Tatsumi to the ground, but Tatsumi wasn't going to have that. He instead, shoved the man off of him and quickly got up off of the ground as another guard moved to subdue him.

The man had a club and had swung it at Tatsumi, but Tatsumi simply caught it with his left hand and sent a heavy uppercut to the man's jaw, which caused the man to let go of the club before flying into the air and landing on his backside.

Now armed with a club, Tatsumi began to fight off the guards.

He was at first winning, and had been able to take down seven of them, but eventually, they all swarmed him and brought him into the ground with their numbers. Of course, this required them to get a little physical with him.

"Hold him down!" A guard shouted who was on top of him and pressing his hand down onto his face.

The guards quickly complied with the orders and had placed their bodies over his limbs in order to prevent him from moving which basically made it look like a dogpile.

Once Tatsumi was subdued, the guard who had his hand on his face said to the group. "Someone go get some cuffs! We need to chain him up!"

"I'm on it-" A guard stated as he got up only to freeze at the sight he saw.

Standing and watching the scene was Esdeath, a curious look on her face. Behind her were her three beasts.

"General Esdeath!" The man said in surprise causing a few of the guards to look at her.

"So, my little prince was the one that caused the gunshot." Esdeath said aloud causing the guards who had yet to look at her and Tatsumi to shift their attention to the General.

"General Esdeath, this man needs to be punished! He attacked and possibly killed our-" Started the guard who had ordered for him to be cuffed only to be stopped by an icicle coming from her hand and pinning him to the wall, killing him instantly.

"I want all of you off of him right now, and I want him to tell me what happened." Esdeath stated as she stared them down, a murderous aura emitting from her as she said this.

"General Esdeath-"

" _Now_." She said causing the guard who attempted to speak to fall silent.

With no other choice, the guards slowly got off of Tatsumi, which allowed Esdeath to have a clearer sight on Tatsumi's face. His face was slightly battered and bruised but besides that there looked to be nothing wrong with him.

However, this still angered Esdeath. Tatsumi was her property, and she had made it clear upon arriving here that there was no harm to come to him and that they weren't supposed to treat him like the other prisoners.

Once Tatsumi was on his feet, Esdeath said to him with a smile. "Come here, Tatsumi."

The way she said it was similar to that of a dog's owner summoning their dog.

It made it sound like he was her pet.

Tatsumi didn't leave his cell at first. If he was being honest with himself, he would prefer if they all just left him alone, but he doubted that this matter was going to be left alone. He had attacked the fort's garrison, and the fort's garrison attacked him. Esdeath wasn't going to let this slide.

With great reluctance, Tatsumi exited his cell.

When this had first started the prisoners began to cheer, and applauded Tatsumi for what he was doing since they all been subjected to the guard's torment, some of them even threw their food at the guards, but upon seeing Esdeath walk in, they had fell silent and began to fear for Tatsumi's safety. They all knew Esdeath, and knew that he was going to be punished for attacking the Imperial.

"Good boy, now kneel." Esdeath ordered with a smile.

Tatsumi in response glared at her. She was really wanting to make it look like he was some obedient dog of hers.

"I said, _kneel_ Tatsumi." Esdeath stated.

Still not moving, Tatsumi thought about if it was best for him to kneel. If he did this, then he'd probably avoid Esdeath's wrath, but it would also show the men in the room that he's afraid of her and that he listens to her commands.

After about ten more seconds, Tatsumi spoke. "... I will not kneel to you."

The smile on Esdeath's face had vanished entirely upon hearing these words.

"Is that so?" She said aloud as she tilted her head a bit.

"... Yeah." Tatsumi affirmed as he looked at her with defiance in his eyes.

"Hmm, I guess you need to be reminded of your place." Esdeath said as she unfastened her rapier from her waist and handed it to Liver. "It's understandable, some pets think like this and need a good reminding."

Tatsumi didn't say anything in response. He simply got into a fighting stance.

Esdeath couldn't help from releasing a small chuckle upon him doing this. He really didn't want to kneel to her, and she respected that. However, she had a reputation to uphold, and he needed to know that he couldn't back talk her, especially in front of her subordinates.

Sure, she might treat him different than most of her playthings, but Tatsumi was still hers, and that meant he needed to obey her commands. Regardless of what they are.

The two stared each other down for quite some time, but eventually, the prince charged her.

When he was close enough, he leaped into the air, and shot his right hand forward directly towards her face.

Esdeath had brought her arms up and blocked the attack and smiled. Even without a spear in his hand, he still liked to jump around.

Tatsumi's assault didn't end there, he sent several lightning fast jabs towards her face, all with the intent to prove his point. However, Esdeath merely dodged and weaved them with the occasional deflect.

After sending a heavy right hook, which was blocked, Tatsumi sent a stalwart uppercut to her defense.

The power behind the punch managed to break her defense, and Tatsumi did attempt to use this to his advantage, but upon him moving closer to her, she used her right leg and push kicked him away.

Due to the force behind her kick, and him not expecting it, Tatsumi had slid back a few feet, he had almost hit his cell's bars, but he didn't fall to his knees.

"Hmm, I expected you to fall flat on your face." Esdeath said aloud as Tatsumi looked back up at her.

"... I'm not going to go down." Tatsumi declared with a resolved look.

"And here I thought we were getting closer, but you still harbor hatred for me." Esdeath said with a sigh. "It's a shame, but it's not something that saddens me; in fact, it excites me!"

As she said the last part, Esdeath darted towards him.

To some of the people who were watching it looked like Esdeath blinked in front of him, but to Tatsumi and the more hardened people they had witnessed her movements.

Raising his arms up, Tatsumi blocked countless of punches, but there were a few that did break through his defense. However, Tatsumi showed no reaction to them.

Knowing that if he stayed on the defensive he would lose Tatsumi lunged at her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and with strength, she didn't expect from him at all, lifted her off of the ground.

However, if he had expected her to let him get away with this, he was mistaken. Using her elbow, Esdeath slammed it against the back of his skull multiple times, which eventually made him let go of her.

While being in a daze, Esdeath grabbed ahold of his throat with one hand and lifted him up off of the floor with ease before slamming him down onto it.

Because of the wounds on his back, Tatsumi had jolted upwards, but Esdeath quickly put her foot on his chest causing his back to hit the ground again.

"I would have preferred you kneeling before me," Esdeath said with a smile. "but I'm okay with this position."

Tatsumi didn't say anything. He was still comprehending what just happened to him. He remembered lifting her up off of the ground, but then it became a blur, and the next thing he knew he was looking up at her and the ceiling.

"Now," Esdeath started as a sword made of ice manifested into her right hand and was aimed at the prince's throat. "mind telling me what led up to these events, _Ta~tsu~mi~_?"

* * *

Numa couldn't help from releasing a sigh as he exited his room and made his way down to the inn's first floor.

They would have crossed the border yesterday into the Empire's territory, but Numa had decided not to and thought it was best if they stopped at an inn and rested for a day or two.

As he walked down the hall, he could hear his men chatting with each other. The morale was pretty high, which was good, for they needed to be in good spirits. After all, they were posing as adventurers, and adventurers weren't the type of people to get too attached things. All they were suppose to care about was money.

Upon walking down the stairs, Numa was welcomed to the sight of his men filling up nearly the entire inn. He was traveling with thirty-two Royal Guards and that wasn't counting Iguchi. The town they were staying in, for the time being, wasn't the largest, and rarely did get travelers, so the inn wasn't the largest one. However, it was able to house him and his men, but that was because some of the rooms had to have four-five people in them, instead of two-three.

Some of the Royal Guards, who were busy eating, had spotted Numa walking down the steps, had called out to their leader and greeted him.

Numa in response merely waved at them. He was a little tired, and wouldn't have minded getting some more sleep, but because the majority of his men were down here and eating, he decided to have his meal now, that way he couldn't possibly annoy the innkeeper later. Although, he highly doubted the innkeeper would get upset with him due to the fact that he's paying him handsomely to stay at the place.

Seeing Theo and Lieutenant Iguchi sitting together talking to one another, Numa made his way over to them and took a seat next to them.

Iguchi who didn't see him coming and didn't hear the men call out to him gasped in surprised, and said to him. "Ah! Good morning, Boss! Did you sleep well?"

"It could have been better, but yes, I did sleep pretty good." Numa answered while yawning.

"That's uh, that's good to hear, sir. I'm glad you slept well!" Iguchi said in response with an enthusiastic grin.

Theo in response to seeing this rolled his eyes. The guy was talking about how he should greet Numa for the majority of their meal, and had been saying that if he greeted him in a too friendly manner, then Numa might be troubled by that. Yet, he had just done that and Numa didn't seem to mind at all.

"Thank you," Numa replied with a small smile as the innkeeper's wife approached their table from behind Numa.

"Good morning sir," She greeted causing Numa to look over his shoulder at her. She had long maroon colored hair, and firey orange eyes with a slender, but curvy figure. Her choice of attire was similar to that of a waitress.

"Good morning," Numa addressed with a nod. "I'm assuming you're here to take my order?"

"That is if you want me too!" She said with a bit of enthusiasm. "If you want to wait that's fine, you don't have to eat now."

"I might as well eat now since I'm down here," Numa stated with a serious expression. "so what's on the menu for today?"

"Well, right now we have a few apple pies in the oven being made, so if you want to have some of that later you're welcome to have some, but as for breakfast meals goes we have some biscuits and gravy with sausages and eggs." The innkeeper's wife declared with a smile.

"Hmm, is that all?" Numa questioned with his lips curved slightly downwards.

"Um, no, I mean there are other things we can make, but-"

"Can I have steak and eggs? I'm not a huge fan of gravy, I don't like the texture of it." Numa requested.

"Sure, there have been a few of your men who have requested steak and eggs, so it shouldn't be a problem." She said with a nod as she wrote down his order on her notepad.

"Thank you," Numa said in response. "oh, and for my drink, I'd just like a glass of water."

"Glass of water." She said to herself as she wrote his drink.

With that said, the innkeeper told him that she was going to give his order to the chef and that she'd be back later with his food.

Once she was gone, Theo said to him. "You're definitely related to Tatsumi. He doesn't like gravy either because of the texture of it."

"Well, I don't like it just because of its texture. I also don't like the taste of it." Numa confessed with a small chuckle. "He, however, simply doesn't like it along with a few other types of food solely because of the texture. I remember when we were little he wouldn't eat mashed potatoes, and when he did eat them, he would gag."

"His Highness sounds very picky when it came to his food." Iguchi confessed after taking a large sip of his drink.

"He was." Theo affirmed causing Numa to look at him with a curious look.

Seeing the curious look Numa was giving him, Theo explained it. "There times where we'd arrive at an inn like this or a restaurant, and he would be told the meals, and he would frown upon hearing them because it had something he didn't like in it. Which would then cause him to make a special request, which was a mix of different types of food, and he would pay a decent amount for his special meal. He truly was picky when it came to his meals."

At this, Numa smiled softly. One of the things he loved seeing when he was really young was Tatsumi complaining about his food. Another thing he found funny was when they were like five, and Tatsumi would refuse to eat some of his food because they touched one another.

"He really was." Numa as a tear left his right eye and rolled down his cheek.

* * *

After telling Esdeath what had happened, Esdeath had removed her foot from his chest and ordered him to get up.

Even though he had only reacted, he needed to be punished. Not only because what he had to the garrison's guards, but because he defied her. It was also because she thought he had gotten used to his position, but it seemed that she still had quite a ways to go before he was her loyal pet.

She claimed that she wasn't going to enjoy pummeling him to ground, and that if he won, then she would let him go, but those were both lies. When he fought her a second time, all he saw on her face was that stupid, dumb, disgusting smile that he has grown to hate.

It pissed him off, and made him want to wipe it off of her face, but wants weren't enough to beat her. If that was the case, then she would have already been dead, for he was sure that everyone that has came across her wanted her dead.

The only plus side to all of this was that the guards who had attacked him were tortured and then hanged for disobeying her orders. Even the ones who didn't do anything, they were punished for not stopping their comrades and not getting her immediately. That was the only good thing that came from all of this.

As he continued to lay in his bed wide awake, Tatsumi pondered what he should do. If he kept on defying her, then she would eventually snap with him and finally begin torturing him, which was something a part of him didn't want. Sure, he would get the satisfaction of pissing her off, but that would be a moment of bliss, nothing long term.

Of course, the thought of accepting his role as her slave has crossed his mind multiple times, but he refused to do that for countless reasons. One of these reasons was because he doubted she would believe it. Despite being the most annoying person in the world Esdeath wasn't dumb. She truly believed that it would take her a while to make him submit to her will, so if he accepted it tomorrow morning, she would be suspicious of him and assumed he's up to something.

The only reason why she would say things like, "And here I thought you finally learned your place." was just to get a reaction out of him. She knew he wasn't going to crack for a long time.

The thought of escaping had crossed his mind as well, but he doubted he'd get far. He was in enemy territory, and had caught Esdeath's interest, and didn't have any of his equipment. He didn't have his amor, or his weapons, he only had his clothing. If he had somehow managed to escape this fort, and that was a big if, then his only choice was to head South. He couldn't head North because Esdeath would expect that, so he would have to go deeper into the Empire's territory.

Releasing a sigh, he said aloud. "I really need a plan of action."

* * *

 **(Revan's AN): And cut. I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter, and if you didn't well, that sucks. I'm not the greatest writer, nor did I claim to be. I merely write to pass time, and because I find it enjoyable _(Even if the chapters sometimes don't make any sense)_. Anyways, I don't know if I have any rants for the day. Actually, I guess I do, and that's _this story's_ Esdeath x Tatsumi ship (Notice the Emphasizing guys).**

 **Let me ask you all this. Do you guys think Tatsumi could love Esdeath after what she's done so far? I argued with someone about this, and I did enjoy the conversation, I truly did, but it made me wonder if you guys think they could actually work out. Now, I'm not talking about they get married, and they have babies and shit like that. I'm talking about where Tatsumi forgives/accepts her and they spend the rest of their time together wandering the world. I personally don't see that happening, but that's because I'm trying to look at it from Tatsumi's standpoint and an outsider's.**

 **I don't know, I just don't see it happening because she's fucking did a lot of things to him. Anyways, give me your thoughts on it if you want. I'm not saying that the ship isn't a thing that can happen, I just am saying that I find it hard for _this Tatsumi_ to fall in love with _this Esdeath_. With that said, I'm going to go.  
**

 **Link to the discord server:** discord .gg/ uDxVym8


	17. Arriving At The Capital City Part I

**(Revan's AN): I hope you all enjoy this chapter.**

 **Full Summary:** Tatsumi Seika, the second son of Kaito Seika, was a rebellious child. Unlike his siblings, he didn't care about the duties of a prince, and after being told that he was going to marry some noblewoman, he ran away from home. Now, after five years of being away, Tatsumi has finally returned.

 **Non-canon, single-pairing, OOC Characters.**

* * *

 _"Flashbacks" -_ **Thinking**

"Flashbacks" - _**Talking**_

 _[Flashbacks]_ **\- Letters or Reports.**

 **Theme Song: Rise, by The Glitch Mob, Mako, and The Word Alive.**

 **Main Writer:** Revan the Edgelord

 **Co-Writer:** None.

* * *

Releasing a sigh of boredom was a man with shoulder-length green hair and green eyes. His hair covered his left eye, and he had a pair of red goggles on top of his head. He wore a long dark green coat that had a fur trim hood and wore a red ring white shirt underneath it as well as a pair of blue jeans and brown shoes.

The man was in the early twenties, and in his jacket's inner pocket was a pair of gloves. He had hidden underneath his coat an abnormally large spool of wires.

His name was Lubbock, and he was one a member of a group that was a subgroup of the Revolutionary Army called Night-Raid.

Standing next to him was a slightly taller woman who had a curvaceous figure. She had short blonde hair with two long tufts that frame the sides of her head and golden eyes. She wore an outfit that made her look like an erotic dancer which was a black tube top, detachable sleeves, pants, boots and a scarf around her neck

"What's up with you?" She asked with a bit of mischief in her voice. "Aren't you happy to see Esdeath's army returning?"

The woman's name was Leone, and she was also a part of the group called Night-Raid.

"No," He answered flatly with a bored expression. "I'm not happy to see them returning, not to mention, we've been here for about thirty minutes now, and her army has yet to come through. If I knew they were going to take this long, I would have asked that pretty lady I saw earlier out."

"Why? We both know she would have rejected you due to you being a little perv." Leone questioned causing the green-haired assassin to glare at her.

After several seconds of silently glaring at her, he said to her. "I would respond to that, and give you multiple reasons on why I'm not a pervert, but I'm not going to. Instead, I'm just going to talk about my speculations on what happened in Espera and how many men I think Esdeath lost."

"Smart choice cause I would have denounced all of your claims on you not being a perv." Leone said with a laugh that made Lubbock roll his eyes. There was no winning with this bombshell.

" _Anyways_ ," Lubbock started, heavily emphasizing on the word. "I think Esdeath lost around half her army fighting against the Esperans, and I also believe that the Esperans still have a large military force."

"Hmm, so you're betting Esdeath lost around fifty thousand of her men?" Leone asked with a grin.

"I wouldn't say the word, _bet_ , but yeah, I think that." Lubbock stated, a little reluctant to say the word bet due to her being known to gamble.

"Alright, so how much you betting?" Leone asked as she wrapped her arm over the green-haired assassin's shoulder. "I'm betting 20 gold and that she lost around forty thousand men."

While Lubbock considered his response, one of the many people around the two of them cried out at the top of their lungs. "I see her! I see General Esdeath!"

Diverting his eyes away from Leone, Lubbock leaned forward a bit in an attempt to spot the General. He was honestly surprised that no one had heard their conversation, but wasn't going to dwell on it.

As more and more people said that they could see her, the green-haired assassin was finally able to spot the General. She was riding a white stallion with her army in tow behind her. However, what made him curious was the black-clothed male walking beside her horse. He had chains wrapped around his hands, and holding onto said chains was Esdeath.

"Hey, who's that man?" Leone questioned with a small frown.

"I don't know?" Lubbock stated with his own frown. "Esdeath's new pet maybe?"

"Are you sure?" Leone asked as she looked at Lubbock. "The guy looks like he's in pretty good condition for being her pet."

"Maybe it's her lover?" Lubbock said with a shrug.

Leone didn't say anything at first, but something about the man piqued her interest.

Deciding to make a mental note to gather some intel on the man, Leone said Lubbock. "If Esdeath's gotten a lover, then you're getting laid by me tonight."

...

...

...

"Ah, isn't this nice Tatsumi?" Esdeath said aloud as she occasionally waved her free hand at the crowds of people who were applauding her and her army. "To be loved by so many people? Isn't it just a refreshing feeling?"

Tatsumi's response to her question was silence. He didn't understand how these people could cheer for her and say that they're happy that she returned safely.

Taking his quietness as her response, Esdeath said aloud. "You know, you should be honored to walk beside me. Most of my slaves would have to crawl with a collar wrapped around their neck like a dog."

"... Being in your presence makes me want to puke," Tatsumi stated, traces of anger in his voice. "and hearing these people cheer for you makes me pity them. They don't know what you truly are."

"And what am I?" Esdeath with amusement as she looked at him. "In their eyes, I'm a General who is defending them from terrorists, and invading countries, so tell me. What am I to you?"

"You know what you are," Tatsumi stated as he looked up at her, a glint of hatred in his eyes.

"Your master?" She said with a laugh. "No, your queen? You never really told me what you see me as."

"You are my responsibility." Tatsumi declared as he glared at her. "The only reason why I still draw breath is to put you down. I exist now solely to end your monstrous life."

Esdeath stared at him for a couple of seconds before bursting out laughing. "You truly are an interesting person, Tatsumi Seika. Once again you amaze me."

Tatsumi didn't say anything. He just continued to glare at her.

"But you know," She said as her laughter died down. "it doesn't have to be like that, and I can end your life at any time I want. The _only_ reason you _live_ is because _I_ find you intriguing if it wasn't for that, you would be dead."

"There's a saying curiosity killed the cat," Tatsumi said in response while diverting his attention to the road ahead of him. "your curiosity for me is going to be your downfall, you just haven't realized it yet."

Esdeath couldn't help from smirking upon hearing that. "I really do love that confidence you have. It makes me think you might have a chance at killing me again."

" _I will,_ " Tatsumi affirmed. "for there will come a time again, and when it comes, I will be the victor of that duel."

"I'll be looking forward to that fight then."

* * *

As Numa evaded the greatsword, his opponent released a battle cry.

His opponent was a large man who looked to be in his early to mid-twenties, he was tall, very tall, in fact, the tallest member of the group that was traveling with him to the Revolutionary Army's headquarters and very muscular. He wore a heavy black chest plate, and had only one pauldron on which was black in color and on his left shoulder. He wore dark brown trousers with reinforced black leather boots. Attached to his chest piece was a reddish orange cloak. He had short black spiky hair and brown eyes.

"You're holding your sword too tightly, Takeo!" Numa yelled as he blocked the man's next attacks.

At this, the man loosened his grip on his blade significantly, which allowed Numa to disarm him.

"Now, too loosely." Numa stated as he aimed Wolfsbane at the tall warrior's throat.

"Tch, that could have gone better." Takeo stated as he looked at his greatsword which was on the ground a couple feet away from him.

"It's nothing to be upset about," Numa affirmed as he lowered his weapon and took his helmet, revealing his facial features. "you're used to wielding a sword and shield. Not a blade like that, so it's, of course, going to take you a while to get used to it."

"Still, I could have done better." Takeo declared with a displeased look. He had always been interested in wielding a greatsword in the past, but because he was a member of the Royal Guard, and his job required him to protect people, he took on a more defensive role.

"You'll get better in time. You just need to practice." With that said, Numa looked to the crowd of onlookers, which happened to be the companions he was traveling with and said to them. "I want you guys to pair up. Theo, Iguchi, and I will overwatch your duels and correct the mistakes we see."

"Understood, Boss." Came their responses before spreading out and getting in groups of two.

As the pairs moved to their spots on the field, Theo approached Numa and said to him in a low tone. "Why have Iguchi help you with this? Why not have one of the more older and experienced soldiers observe?"

"Well, I don't know if you know this," Numa started as he looked at Iguchi who had already been giving some advice to a man wielding a double-bladed ax and shield. "but Iguchi is really skilled. He was ranked the best of his class by the Royal Battlemaster and has been considered to become one of the high ranking members of the Royal Guard."

"I see," Theo said in response as he followed Numa's gaze and listened to Iguchi tell the man that he needs to with the shield.

"Yeah, and not to mention I like him," Numa stated with a small smile. "he takes his work very seriously, and I believe he has the potential to become the Royal Guard's next Battlemaster."

"Hmm, if that's the case, then I have no problem with it. I was just simply curious as to why you were having him be your right-hand man." Theo said in response.

"Is that what it looks like?" Numa asked, a tinge of curiosity in his voice. He, of course, was trying to deepen the relationship with all of his men during their travels, but that didn't mean he couldn't have a closer bond with some more than others.

"Yeah, at least from my perspective." The one-eyed warrior affirmed. "There's nothing wrong with this like I said, I was just merely curious."

At this Numa released a small laugh. "You don't have to reiterate your curiosity, I understand completely."

Theo didn't say anything, but a sigh of relief did escape his lips. Usually, he wasn't one to worry about offending others, but after witnessing Numa's rage upon finding out about his brother being left behind, he had made a note not to anger Numa. The man was going to kill his Royal Battlemaster had it not been for his mother, so there was no telling what Numa would do to him if he upset him.

"Now," Numa started causing Theo to look at him. "shall we begin our observations?"

* * *

Upon reaching the Emperor's Palace, Tatsumi couldn't help from looking at it in awe. He had seen it during their long walk, and had thought it was big, but once they had reached, he found it to be insanely big as well as pretty.

 _"How can this place house so much evil?"_ Tatsumi asked himself as they moved past the final gate and officially arrived at the palace only to be welcomed by the sight of dozens upon dozens of men, who happened to be, completely encased in dark steel armor with red capes around their necks and Poleaxes in their hands, A tall spiky blonde haired male who wore armor very similar to the to the men wielding Poleaxes, a young boy who wore a Emperor's Regalia, and an obese man who was accompanied by several men who wore green uniforms that made them look like they were officers.

"Try to be on your best behavior, Tatsumi." Came Esdeath's voice causing him to cast her a side glance. "I do not mind our banter, but the soldiers you see before you are very devoted to the Emperor and don't take insolence well, especially the Great General Budo."

"... It sounds like you're worried for me." Tatsumi said after a couple seconds of silence as he diverted his attention back towards the people ahead of him.

"I did not spend my time taking care of you and disciplining you just for you to end your life here because of your foolishness. As you know, I plan to make you mine, so if you get yourself killed here, I _will_ go back to Espera, and I _will_ kill every Esperan I see." Esdeath declared in a tone that held no traces of amusement, making Tatsumi believe that she was being actually serious.

Clicking his tongue in annoyance, Tatsumi said to her in response. "I told you before, didn't I? I can't die yet, not until I kill you. Once I have accomplished that, _then_ can _I_ die."

At this, Esdeath smirked. She did have some doubts that he would listen to her, but hearing those words made those doubts vanish. It was basically Tatsumi's promise saying that he would do whatever it takes to survive and she liked that. She didn't know why, but it made her for some reason... _Happy_.

Once Esdeath and Tatsumi reached the group who were standing in front of the palace's entrance, Esdeath dismounted from her horse and covered the few feet between them by foot.

"Great General, Prime Minister, and My Emperor, I have returned from my conquest in Espera." Esdeath said as she fell to one knee. She was still holding Tatsumi's chain which was in his opinion a little strange, for she could have handed it to one of her Three Beasts who weren't that far behind them, but he wasn't going to question it.

"General Esdeath, it is good to see you have come back unscathed!" Spoke the young ruler with glee in his voice. He had green shoulder-length hair which is braided on the sides and green eyes. He wore a purple outfit with white boots and a blue mantle, as well as a large headdress. In his hand right hand was a golden scepter that had a blue orb attached to it.

"You took the words out of my mouth, My Emperor, as well as my tone." Spoke the fat man who Tatsumi believed was the Prime Minister. He wore a pair of brown boots, a dark green shirt, a belt below his belly and short pants which were also dark green, and a gray coat with some hair of an animal around his neck. He had gray hair and a long beard that went down to his upper abdomen.

The tall blonde warrior didn't say anything in response to her. His attention was on Tatsumi who didn't kneel before the Emperor.

As the group of men in green said that they were happy to see Esdeath back and in good condition, Tatsumi stared at the Great General.

Seeing the black-robed man glare at him, Budo said to Esdeath. "General Esdeath, who is this man in chains and why is he in the Emperor's presence?"

"Him?" Esdeath said as she got up and looked at Tatsumi. "He's my soon to be subordinate, Tatsumi Seika. He's the brother of Numa Seika, the next in line to inherit the Esperan throne."

"Oh?" The Prime Minister said with a look of surprise. One of his informants had informed him that Esdeath hat gotten a new toy, but he didn't really care about the background of her toy. All he knew really was that she was rather fond of it and that it was young and apparently strong. "I didn't know your prisoner was of royalty."

Esdeath chuckled lightly upon hearing the Prime Minister's statement. "He's a little stubborn, but he shouldn't be a problem. I'll make sure that he doesn't disrupt the palace's peace."

Budo didn't say anything at first. Instead, he looked back at Tatsumi. The more he stared into Tatsumi's eyes, the more he felt the urge to end his life. He didn't know why, but Tatsumi just made him feel uncomfortable, and he didn't like that at all.

"Be sure that he doesn't," Budo said with a small huff as he looked at Esdeath once again. "if I find out that he's causing anyone problems, then I will deal with him."

"Hmph, if he's causing people problems, then those people are purposely starting things with him," Esdeath stated in a serious tone. "and if that's the case, then I will deal with them before I deal with him. Tatsumi shouldn't be an issue since he'll be confined to my room."

Hearing this made Tatsumi's eyes widen. He had assumed he was going to be placed in the dungeon, but apparently, that wasn't going to be the case.

"Again, if I hear about him troubling people, _I will deal with him_." Budo stated, deciding to not back down in the matter.

"I'll keep that in mind," Esdeath said in response with a smile. She wasn't going to let that happen, for Tatsumi belonged to her. He was her property, and she was the only one that got to decide his fate. "now if you excuse me, I'd like to go to my room, I am tired from my journey and would like to rest."

"Of course, General Esdeath! You have traveled quite a distance and deserve to rest!" The young ruler stated causing Tatsumi to give him a ghost eyeball. The boy clearly didn't know how to read the atmosphere and was oblivious by the group's staredowns. "However, I must ask will you be able to attend the banquet tonight? I had suggested to the Prime Minister that we host a banquet in honor of your return to the Empire."

"Indeed you did, My Emperor." The Prime Minister stated with a nod of approval. "When he heard you had returned from the North, our young and wise Emperor believed that it would be a wonderful idea to host a party in your honor."

"It shouldn't be a problem," Esdeath said with a wave of a hand before shooting Tatsumi a quick glance and then smirking. "however, am I allowed to bring Tatsumi with me? If he's going to become my subordinate in the following days, then he should get used to attending parties like this."

 _"What are you planning?"_ Tatsumi asked himself as he stared at her.

"You're out of your mind General Esdeath if you think I'm going to allow someone that you were once at war with into a party with all the high ranking personnel of the Empire." Budo stated with a frown.

Ignoring the Great General's declaration, Esdeath said to the Emperor. "Rest assure, My Emperor, Tatsumi will be with me at _all times_. I will make sure he doesn't bother any of the guests."

As the Emperor dwelled on his thoughts, the Prime Minister spoke. "I don't see the problem in it, My Emperor. If I'm being honest, I think it would be better if we were to treat _Prince Tatsumi_ here as a _guest_ , rather than a _prisoner_."

 _"A guest who can't leave Esdeath's room..."_ Tatsumi said to himself with traces of irritation. _"And why did he use my title? Is he trying to say that he's going to be my ally in here?"_

"Well, if you both think it's a great idea to allow him to attend and can guarantee that he won't cause the other guests, then how can I refuse?" The Emperor said with a smile that made Tatsumi feel a little sorry for him. He didn't know what was truly going on, but the one thing he did know was that the Empire was very, very divided.

There was the Great General who didn't get along with General Esdeath, which was something he could understand, for she was annoying. Then there was the Prime Minister who was kissing the Emperor's ass which made him wonder if the Emperor was being controlled by him for there had been cases in the past where a person that was a part of the King's Council trying to manipulate the King of Espera.

 _"I'm going to have be very careful from now on, I don't know why, but I feel I've entered a den of vipers."_ Tatsumi said to himself as Esdeath, the Prime Minister, and the Emperor continued to exchange words with one another.

...

...

...

As Esdeath and Tatsumi entered Esdeath's suite, Esdeath said to him. "Welcome to your new home, Tatsumi. I do hope you'll find it enjoyable."

Tatsumi didn't say anything in response, but he did scan the room. The room was big, in fact, it was bigger than his room in Ylona which was saying something since he was a prince. It was surprisingly luxurious as well. He didn't know why, but for some reason, he was expecting it to have a dungeon-like vibe to it. The only thing that stood out and didn't look like it belonged was the small cage in the center of the room that had a single bed in it, a coffee table and a chair.

"... Did you add that for me?" Tatsumi asked as he gestured to what he believed was his new cell.

"Mhm," Esdeath confirmed with a small nod. "there had been accidents in the past where some imbeciles touched _my_ property, and I don't want anyone laying any hands on you unless _I_ approve. So I had sent a letter back about two weeks ago, ordering for my room to be remodeled. Plus, I don't wanna walk all the way down to the dungeons just to see you."

"... I see." Tatsumi said after a couple seconds of silence.

"Do you like it?" Esdeath asked as she looked at him, a look of interest on her face.

"... No?" Tatsumi answered, drawing out the word. "Even if it has a bed in it, it's still a chamber that I'm going to be confined in."

"You wouldn't be confined in it if you just became _mine_ ~." Esdeath stated, traces of amusement in her voice. "All you gotta do is pledge your allegiance to me, lick my feet, and allow me to castrate you."

Tatsumi in response to hearing this stated at her. He didn't know what to think about her declaration, but it sounded as if she was trying to make a joke. With curiosity getting the better of him, he asked her. "Was that a joke? Were you trying to make me laugh with that?"

Deciding not to answer him, Esdeath just said aloud. "I thought it was pretty good if I do say so myself."

"... Uh-huh." Came Tatsumi's response as he continued to stare at her. "Anyways, why do you want me to go to this banquet with you? I'm your prisoner, aren't I? Shouldn't I be in my cell dwelling on my thoughts while you're out enjoying yourself doing... Whatever it is you guys do?"

"Because I want you to go, and because I need to make it clear that you belong to _me_." Esdeath stated with a serious look in her eyes that intimidated him a little bit. "I need to establish to the nobles and politicians that you are mine, and that no one can do anything with you unless I give them the approval, okay?"

"... You make it sound like I'm more than a prisoner..." Tatsumi muttered under his breath, but not quite low enough to escape Esdeath's hearing.

"You are more than a prisoner, I don't know if you've been listening to me, but my prisoners never got to walk on their two feet, nor did they get to wear clothes. They crawled like dogs, and were beaten like dogs. They were fed dog food too you, however, don't get fed dog food nor experience their treatment, you are much more than that." Esdeath declared causing Tatsumi to be a little taken back by her declaration.

"If I'm not your prisoner, then why do you call me that sometimes and why did you say to your men and the fort's garrison that I'm your prisoner?" Tatsumi asked, traces of curiosity in his voice.

"Because I don't know what else to call you," Esdeath said as if it was obvious. "and it's much easier to say that you're my prisoner rather than explaining what our relationship is."

"... You could just tell them that I hate you and that I want to kill you." Tatsumi said with a small smile. He didn't know why, but he was kind of enjoying this conversation, he didn't find her as annoying as he did before. Of course, he still saw her as an annoying person, just not as annoying as usual.

At this Esdeath laughed. "I guess I could, but I don't think you really hate me. I think a small part of you has grown to accept me."

And just like that, he found to be annoying. "Yeah, no. I truly and utterly hate you."

"You say that, but here you were talking casually with me as if I was your friend." Esdeath said with a smile, a little happy to see that look of hatred in his eyes.

"We're never going to be friends, stop being delusional." Tatsumi affirmed, traces of irritation and anger in his voice.

"Okay, but I'm just saying that you were..." Esdeath said before turning around and walking towards her massive bed.

 _"God, I really, really despise her."_

* * *

 **(Revan's AN): And cut, so I originally planned on doing this all in one go, but I had decided not to and do this in two parts because then I wouldn't have posted for about another week, and I would rather just get this out and then post in I don't even know time. Anyways, I wonder if what Esdeath is feeling is actually love, and she doesn't know how to express it? Because after I reread it, I was like to myself, "Maybe I just wrote an Esdeath who is clueless on love."**

 **I mean, sure she still is you know a cruel woman, but I think I made her a little clueless on it now that I look it. Let me say anyways again her because I'm changing topics. Anyways, I do enjoy writing this, to be honest, this is very fun to write, I like this more than my other stories and I guess that's because I have so many characters to work with, and what I mean by that is that I got Tatsumi, Esdeath, Night-Raid now, Numa and company, Farah and the Seika family. You know, I just have so much to work with, and I enjoy that. Sure, it might not be the best out there, but I don't wanna be the best. I just wanna be a guy who finishes his story because there's a lot of stories in the AGK section that haven't been completed.**

 **Anyways, for a third time, I think that's all, so I'm probably going to end it here. Let me know if I just wrote an Esdeath who is clueless when it comes to love because I kind of got that vibe from her. With that said, I hope you all enjoy and see you in the next chapter which hopefully will be soon.**

 **Link to the discord server:** discord .gg/ uDxVym8


	18. Arriving At The Capital City Part II

**(Revan's AN): This chapter would have came out sooner, but because King Arthur was released on Smite, I uh stopped writing to play him.**

 **Full Summary:** Tatsumi Seika, the second son of Kaito Seika, was a rebellious child. Unlike his siblings, he didn't care about the duties of a prince, and after being told that he was going to marry some noblewoman, he ran away from home. Now, after five years of being away, Tatsumi has finally returned.

 **Non-canon, single-pairing, OOC Characters.**

* * *

 _"Flashbacks" -_ **Thinking**

"Flashbacks" - _**Talking**_

 _[Flashbacks]_ **\- Letters or Reports.**

 **Theme Song: Rise, by The Glitch Mob, Mako, and The Word Alive.**

 **Main Writer:** Revan the Edgelord

 **Co-Writer:** None.

* * *

Farah couldn't help from releasing a small sigh as she and Tatsumi's family waited for their meal to arrive.

It had been almost about a month since the death of Tatsumi, and Farah still had yet to come to terms with it along with his confession of love. When she had told Tatsumi's mother, his mother had offer her, her condolences and that over time the pain in the chest she feels would go away.

Farah in response to this was a little taken back by this, and wondered how his mother could say these things in such a strong manner, but soon discovered that his mother was acting in tough. In reality, she was grieving and was crying herself to sleep.

She wasn't the only one who was doing this, in fact, Tatsumi's sister, Yuki was also crying herself to sleep at night. Although, she didn't try to hide her sadness from everybody which was understandable, for she had lost both her brother and father recently.

The only one who didn't look to be plagued by loss was Tatsumi's younger brother. Now, she didn't know if this was actually true or false, but she didn't bother investigating his situation. After all, his business wasn't her business, for she was simply a commoner.

She may have had a connection with Prince Tatsumi, but that didn't give her the right to delve into his family's business, which made her have to ask herself.

Why was she still with the royal family and dining with them? She was still a commoner, even if Tatsumi loved her, that didn't grant her the ability to have dinners with them and talk to them as if they were her family. She was just Tatsumi's nurse. Nothing more, nothing less.

"Is everything okay, Farah?" Spoke Tatsumi's mother.

"Huh? Oh, yes everything is fine." Came Farah's response after snapping out of her idling state.

"Were you thinking about, Tatsumi again?" Tatsumi's mother questioned with a look of interest causing a faint blush to spread across the tan woman's face.

"N-No, I wasn't thinking of anything like that, really." Farah confessed with a tinge of nervousness in her voice.

At this, his mother giggled. "Your response makes me doubt that."

"You know there's nothing wrong with thinking about him, right?" Yuki stated causing Farah to shift her attention from Tatsumi's mother to her.

"I know that, but..." Farah started with a small frown. "But, I wasn't thinking about him. I was wondering why I'm still with you all. His Highness may have had feelings for me, and I did have some feelings for him, but at the end of the day, I was just the woman who had taken care of him when he was injured. I'm not a noble."

"You're right, you are a commoner." Came his mother's response in a firm tone that made Farah flinch a little. "However, it is clear my son wanted to protect you, and that is why you're staying with us. He didn't have to get you when he came back to the palace, he could have left you behind, and then the Imperials would have had their way with you, but he didn't. He escorted you to the garden, and had you leave with us, which makes me believe that he cared for you and wanted you to be protected, and since that was my son's last request before departing from this world, I will honor it."

"But-"

"I just want to point this out, but my brother didn't care about people's status'." Yuki interrupted causing Farah to fall silent. "You could have been the ruler of the country, and my brother wouldn't have married you. He was the type of person who lived his life mostly off of his feelings, or at least that's what I saw him as."

"Still..." Farah said with a bit of reluctance as she looked down at her lap.

 _"Still why did you have to fall in love with me, and then leave me alone in this world?"_ She asked herself as she felt the urge to cry.

It wasn't fair, _life_ wasn't fair.

* * *

"Uggghhh." Came the sound from Leone's lips as she continued to rest her head on top of her arms. A bored expression was written on her face.

"Everything alright, Leone?" Bulat questioned as he casted her a look of interest.

"Mmmmm, nope! I'm bored out of my mind right now." Leone confessed in a slightly chipper tone.

"The boss is going to be here any second now, so just be patient, Leone." Lubbock affirmed as he ceased tapping the table in a slow and steady pattern.

"But I'm bored!" Leone declared, drawing out the word 'bored' to emphasize how bored she was.

"I hate to agree with the pervert, but he's right, you really need to be patient." Mine stated, earning herself a glare from Lubbock.

"Sorry, but I only perv on adults." Came Lubbock's witty response as a smirk formed across his face.

At this, the pink haired girl's face contorted to one of anger. "What's _that_ suppose to mean?" She asked in a heated tone.

"It means that this guy likes to perv on girls who are developed," Leone stated with her own smile.

"So you're calling me flat chested..." Mine said aloud while gritting her teeth. "... And that I'm not good enough to get perved on?"

"Pretty much," Lubbock said with traces of amusement in his voice.

"Assholes like you..." Mine started before apruptly standing up, and pointing Pumpkin at the green-haired assassin. "Need to be taught a lesson!"

However before she could fire any shots, Akame who was sitting next to her on her right eating some _meat_ , grabbed ahold of her arm, and forced her to sit back down while saying to her. "You're being too loud."

Mine was taken back by this action, and looked at Akame with shock. "Akame! I was in the middle of somethin-ow!"

"Still too loud." Akame interrupted after flicking Mine's forehead. "Use inside voice."

"Um, I'm going to have to agree with Mine on this one." Spoke Sheele, who was sitting on mine's left causing the pink haired girl to look at her as if she had been betrayed by her.

"Sheele, di-did you hear what he said to me!?" Mine said with traces of anger while pointing at the green-haired assassin who was smiling brightly making it look like he was innocent and caused no offense.

"Yes, but I agree with Akame, and think you are being too loud as well." Sheele said while pushing her glasses up. Her tone had some elegancy and gave off a mature feeling.

"But he-"

"I agree with them too, you were a little too loud Mine, I heard you and I was down the hall." Came a voice causing everyone to shift their attention to the entrance of the room and see a silver-haired woman with an eyepatch standing in the doorway.

Leone upon seeing her immediately said with glee in her voice. "Boss, you're finally back!"

And after saying that she vanished from her seat like a ninja, and appeared before the woman and began examing her while saying to her. "So what did you get me from HQ? Did you get me a cat this time? Wait, no did you get me some alcohol? Perhaps wine maybe?"

As Leone fired question after question, the others greeted their superior.

"It's good to see that you made it back safely, Boss. Oh, and thanks for letting me know that it was you." Lubbock said with a smile. The reason why they were sitting in the meeting room waiting was because one of Lubbock's alarms went off which meant someone was coming, but the person who triggered the wire, triggered it four times which was a signal that indicated it was a Night-Raid member returning from an assassination that required them to spend some time in the Capital City or from HQ.

"I trust you had no problems on the road, Boss?" Bulat questioned, his arms crossed in front of his chest, and a solemn expression written on his face. He along with Najenda were known members of Night-Raid, and because of them being known members of Night-Raid, traveling on the main roads was somewhat difficult because almost everyone in the country knew about them. At least the ones who lived in the inner parts of the country.

"Welcome back." Came Akame's greeting which was the shortest, and the simplest one of them all.

"How was you your trip?" Was Sheele's greeting which was the second shortest and simplest one.

"... I understand I was being a little loud, but did you hear what Lubbock called me? He called me flat! I'm not flat, am I? I mean sure, I may be small, but I'm not flat, right?" Mine greeted with a scowl that soon changed to a look of embarrassment and insecurity.

"If we got a plank and put it right next to you and put a pink wig on it, I bet we wouldn't be able to tell the difference." Lubbock quipped with a shit eating grin on his face.

"Grrr, you're really wanting to die today, aren't you!?" Mine growled as she sent Lubbock a dirty look who just snickered in response.

Najenda upon hearing all of this took a deep breath of air before saying to them all. "No, I didn't get you anything Leone, and no I had no problems on the road, Bulat. And to answer your question Sheele, my trip was the same as usual, I saw the same things on the way there and the way back, also thank you Akame it's good to be back, and no problem Lubbock, I think that idea of yours was smart. Oh, and yeah I'd say you're small, but you can still grow Mine, you're young."

After hearing that her boss didn't get anything for her, Leone couldn't help from sulking a little bit. "I wanted some wine this time..."

Seeing this made Najenda smirk slightly. "Don't look so sad Leone, just because I didn't get you personally anything, doesn't mean I came back empty-handed."

Leone perked up upon hearing this and said in response with twinkles in her eyes. "Ooooh? What did you get us!?"

With now a massive grin on her face, Najenda said to the members of Night-Raid in a dramatic manner. "Feast your eyes on the new members of Night-Raid!"

After saying this, Najenda moved to the side and allowed four people to walk into the room.

The first one that entered the room wore a browny red cloak with a hood that concealed their facial features which made it hard to distinguish if they were male or female, but after at the person for a couple of seconds, the members of Night-Raid could tell the person was a female.

Not long after assuming the person was female, they pulled back their hood and revealed their face, confirming their belief that they were a female. She had a lollipop in her mouth, and her lips were curved slightly upwards making it look like she was smiling and happy to be here.

She had auburn hair, with matching eyes that gave off a mischievous sense. She was mostly covered by the cloak, but a few of the members were able to spot the black vest and white shirt underneath it as well as the red collar that was tied by a red ribbon. She also wore a pair of headphones.

"The name's Chelsea," She said after moving the lollipop from the middle of her mouth to her left cheek. "I look forward to working with you guys, so let's get along, okay?"

As some of the members of Night-Raid welcomed her, Leone said to her with a look of interest. "I thought you were a part of Night-Raid's local team that dealt with assassinations outside of the Capital City? What happened to that?"

"I was, but all of my comrades were killed, so HQ decided it was best for me to be in the Capital City and do assassinations here rather than roaming around as a free agent." Chelsea explained in the same tone she used had spoken in earlier.

"Indeed, Chelsea's team was sent to Espera not that long ago to try making an alliance with the Esperan King, Numa Seika, but Esdeath had somehow managed to catch wind of this plan and dealt with them." Najenda stated with a solemn expression.

"Damn, that fucking sucks." Lubbock said with a troubled look.

"I can't wait to kill that bitch, she's killed so many of us." Leone growled as she dug her fingernails into her palms.

"She'll pay for what she's done in time Leone. However, that time is not now." Bulat stated in a firm manner as he cast her a glance. "She's the Empire's Strongest for a reason, if we are to beat her, we must do it together."

"I know, but still... I fucking hate her." Leone said with traces of anger in her voice.

After Leone calmed down a bit, the members of Night-Raid directed their attention to the second person who had entered the room.

the person was a male, and a tall one at that with long limbs making him look a little skinny. He had raven black hair that faded into silver that was a little bit unruly, and hazel colored eyes. His chin had a bit of hair on it, and he looked to be in his late twenties.

He wore a metal chest piece that was a dark irony color that was covered with leather to reinforce it as well as provide some warmth, and a dark gold cape on top of it that went down to his calves. Strapped to his back and sheathed, was a claymore. Its guard was curved slightly upwards and was dark gold, the handle had a couple engravings on it and was dark maroon red, while the pommel was the same color as the guard.

He had a long sleeve shirt underneath chest piece that matched his armor, and wore dark tan pants with metal armor on top of it, and had black metal boots. The only part of him that wasn't covered in armor really was his arms, and head. Wrapped around his waist was a dark gold colored sash and underneath that was a metal flask. His expression was one of little emotion.

He didn't say anything for a couple of seconds. Instead, he just stared at the members of Night-Raid who in return started at him. After a while though, he introduced himself. "The name's Jericho, and I like to drink."

His voice was gruff and low, and held practically no emotion in it, unlike Chelsea's introduction which was energetic.

"Jericho was part for the group in the city Almac, he mostly did infiltration and espionage, but after his team got wiped out he became a free agent of the Revolutionary Army, I had originally planned on recruiting him into Night-Raid a couple months ago, but because the Revolutionary Army needed more skilled combatants at the time, I decided to wait for a while." Najenda stated causing the members of Night-Raid to shift their attention from him to her.

"I remember you talking about this before, but I didn't think we'd actually get him any time soon." Lubbock stated with a look of surprise. He didn't know much about Jericho, due to the man being part of the espionage business, but from what reports say about him, the man was excellent at gathering intel, and was apparently a skilled swordsman.

"HQ wants us to get more jobs done, so that's why they've sent us some reinforcements," Najenda said in response. "which is something I'm all for. With Esdeath back in the Capital, we should expect our missions to be harder than before, for she'll most likely try to get in our way and stop us."

"If she gets in our way, then I'll eliminate her." Akame affirmed, her voice emotionless and cold.

At this Leone chuckled. "Sorry Akame, but if anyone is going to kill her, it's going to be me." As she said the last part she pointed at herself with her right thumb.

"You really don't like her, do you?" Jericho questioned.

"She's a monster that needs to pay." Leone declared as anger seeped into her voice again. "I don't care if I die in the process, as long as I take that bitch down with me I'm fine."

A silence filled the room after Leone's declaration. Chelsea looked at Leone with interest while, Jericho looked at her with no expression written on his face. The members of Night-Raid knew that Leone hated Esdeath, although they didn't know why she had this deep hatred for her, they just knew that she despised the woman to her core.

After a while though, Jericho broke the silence. "Is it alright if I go to my room? I'm tired and have a flask that needs my lips on it."

"... Sure, I'll give you your assignments tomorrow morning." Najenda said in response. She knew that the members of Night-Raid were going to give her reports about Esdeath, and the assignments they did while she was gone, but that didn't require Jericho's presence really, so she was going to allow him this.

With her blessing, Jericho looked at his new comrades and said to them. "If I accidentally go into your room, it's not my fault. I'm going to be drunk."

Once he said that, he turned around and marched out of the room.

"... Shouldn't one of us take him to his room?" Mine questioned with a frown. "I mean, he just said that he doesn't know where it is, so shouldn't one of us take him to it that way we don't find a drunk man in our bed?"

"It'll be fine, let's just continue on with the introductions." Najenda said in response with a wave of her hand. Unlike them, her quarters was on the opposite side of the hideout, which meant this problem wasn't her problem.

Deciding to listen to their superior, the members of Night-Raid directed the next person who had entered the room behind Jericho.

The person was also a male, and also had black hair, but unlike Jericho, his hair didn't fade into silver, and his eyes weren't hazel colored, they were dark chocolate. His hair was unruly and he wore a black martial arts headband, but what had caught everybody's interest was the weapon he had resting up against him.

The weapon was a warhammer, and a massive one at that which happened to be taller than him by about a foot. The head of it was large, in fact, it was twice the size of his head, and looked to be made up of stone. The shaft of the weapon appeared to be made out of wood and had black cloth wrapped around it.

His attire consisted of a dark steel chest piece, pauldrons, vambraces, with a dark blue tunic that was greyish black at his forearms. He wore chain mail underneath his chest piece that covered his abdomen and a black belt with a metal engraving, he wore black greaves and had a knight's skirt over it that matched his tunic's color. He also wore black metal boots that protected his calves as well and looked like he had just turned twenty.

Seeing that the attention was now on, he finally decided to break his silence. "Well, since everyone started with their names, I might as well do that too. My name is Ieyasu, I've been a part of the Revolutionary Army for about a year now, and my Tiegu is _Earthshaker: Rukt_. I honestly don't think I should be a part of Night-Raid I'm not an assassin, but the higher-ups think I'd do a lot more good here, then out on the battlefield, so that's why I'm here."

Upon hearing Ieyasu's last statement, Lubbock looked at Najenda and said to her. "I kind of have to agree with him, he looks more like a soldier than an assassin, and his weapon isn't exactly something he can hide."

"Boss, I also have to agree with them." Bulat declared causing Najenda to look at him. "His Imperial Arms is meant for destroying things and war. It'll cause more harm than good in the Capital, and not to mention he doesn't really want to be here."

"I agree, and these are things that I pointed out to the other leaders of the Revolutionary Army." Najenda said with a nod as she pulled out a cigar that was kept inside her mechanical arm. "However, the other leaders want us to do more missions, and that includes ones that we deem very hard, and because of them wanting us to do them, they are giving us some extra muscle. Ieyasu's spot in Night-Raid will most likely be a temporary one."

"That's good to hear, uh Boss?" Ieyasu said with a hint of uncertainty in his voice. He wasn't sure how to address her, but because everyone was calling her 'boss' he assumed it was best for him to call her that too. He was also relieved to hear that this position was most likely a temporary one, for he honestly didn't think being an assassin was best for him.

"It's nothing, you'll most likely be on base defense most of the time, your Imperial Arms isn't something that should be used in the Capital, so we'll probably use you when it comes to attacking heavily guarded estates or fortresses." Najenda said in response after lighting her cigar.

"I'm fine with being on base defense." Ieyasu said with a small smile. He understood the reasoning of not wanting to use his Imperial Arms in the Capital, and it was completely understandable. It was a Teigu that had the ability to practically destroy anything, so he understood why they wouldn't want him running around swinging it.

After they exchanged a few more words with Ieyasu, the members of Night-Raid directed their attention to the fourth person who had entered the room.

The person was a tall man, taller than both Jericho and Bulat. He had dark blue eyes, dark blue hair that covered his ears, and two white bull-like horns protruding from his head. He wore a white robe and a black shirt underneath it with a red disk-like object at the center of his chest. He wore white socks and sandals, black and red armor that protected his calves and knees, and had a staff like mace strapped to his back.

Noticing that everyone's attention was on him, the tall male looked at Najenda, and said to her. "Am I suppose to introduce myself as well, master?"

"Master?" Spoke everyone except for Najenda, Ieyasu, and Chelsea.

"Yes," Najenda affirmed with a nod. "These people are going to be your comrades so you should get to know them."

"Understood." Came the blue-haired male's response before looking at the members of Night-Raid once again. "I am the Imperial Arms _The Speed of Lightning: Susanoo_."

A silence filled the room for a couple seconds before being broken by Mine who said to the man. "And?"

"And?" Susanoo repeated, not understanding what she was asking of him.

"And what else?" Mine questioned. "What do you like to do, what can you do?"

"... I like to clean." Susanoo said in response after several seconds of pondering.

Silence filled the room once again.

"... As well as cook." He said after a few more seconds of thinking.

"... What can you cook?" Akame questioned with a look of interest, unlike everyone else, she found the man to be quite valuable to the team.

"I know over 500 types of dishes-"

"I like him." Akame interrupted as she put her fist down on the table.

"He sounds more like a servant than an Imperial Arms." Lubbock said with a scowl written on his face. He didn't like the fact that this man and Najenda had a master and servant relationship.

"That's because he was built to serve," Najenda stated as she looked at the green-haired assassin. "the person who created him designed him to be the perfect servant, not only can he do chores, but he can also fight!"

No one said anything in response to Najenda's declaration, for no one knew what to say really.

After a while though, Susanoo spoke. "Master, if you don't have need of me, I'd like to clean up the base. On our way here, I spotted multiple mats that need to be beaten down, and several piles of dust and dirt.

"Sure, you can go ahead and clean the base, and once you're done could you perhaps make me a meal?" Najenda said in response. "I haven't eaten all day, and I'm starving."

"Of course, Master." Susanoo replied with a nod before quickly disappearing. The sound of mats getting beaten could be heard outside of the room.

Akame didn't say anything, but she was a little jealous of Najenda, for she wanted someone that could make her food.

With the introductions out of the way, Najenda said to the members of Night-Raid. "So, while I wait for Susanoo to come back with my meal, does someone wanna give me the rundown of what I've missed while I was gone?"

The members of Night-Raid looked at one another before directing their attention to Leone.

Seeing that pretty much everyone's attention was on her, Leone said aloud. "Hmm, where should I start? Oh, I know, let's start with what happened today!"

And so Leone began to tell the tale of today's events.

* * *

Tatsumi wasn't sure what to think as he followed Esdeath to the banquet.

He had assumed he was going to be attending this in chains, but Esdeath had decided not to cuff him, and said that it would be far more interesting with him not being chained up.

Now, he didn't know why she decided to do this, but he was pretty sure it was because she believed that he wasn't going to cause any problems and behave. This annoyed him a little, and the thought of causing trouble did cross his mind, but after remembering that the Great General Budo was going to be attending this party, Tatsumi decided that it would be best for him to stick close to Esdeath and not cause any problems.

Him not causing any problems would be a piece of cake, for he was a prince, and had attended multiple gatherings like this when he was a kid, although he didn't enjoy them, he did know how to act and behave. The only problem that he was going to have deal with was Esdeath.

"Are you nervous, Tatsumi?" Came Esdeath's voice causing Tatsumi to snap out of his thoughts.

"... Nervous?" He repeated after a couple seconds of silence. "No, not really."

"Really?" Esdeath questioned with a tiny trace of curiosity in her voice as she looked over her shoulder at him. "All of the Empire's leaders are going to be attending this, are you sure you're not nervous?"

"I'm not going to be meeting them, am I?" Tatsumi replied with a small frown.

"No, you probably won't be exchanging any words with them, but you will see them." Esdeath declared as she slowed her pace down to where Tatsumi was now walking beside her, instead of behind her.

"Then, I don't see why I should be nervous," Tatsumi declared with a huff. "nor do I see why I should care about them. I'm not a part of the Empire, and they're not coming to see me, so why should I care for them and what they think?"

"I'm not saying you should," Esdeath said with a smirk as she cast him a sideglance. "I was just wondering if you were nervous."

"The only one I'm nervous about and don't want to anger is the Great General," Tatsumi confessed as he looked down at the ground. "for I'm pretty sure he would follow through with his threats."

"It is good to be cautious around him, but you shouldn't worry about him, Tatsumi." Esdeath said in a voice that he found to be reassuring. "all you have to do is stay by my side, if you do that, then no harm shall come to you."

 _"... When you say things like that, it makes it sound like I'm more than what I am..."_ Tatsumi said to himself with a small frown as he diverted his attention to the wall to his left. He may not be experienced in love, but from the books that he had read that had romance in it, there were these types of sayings that had more meaning behind it.

 _"Wait why am I thinking about Esdeath and love!?"_ Tasumi asked himself upon realizing that he was considering the possibility of her having romantic feelings for him. _"We're enemies. There's no way me and her could ever be lovers, or anything like that, my heart belongs to Farah, and no one else."_

Not long after he mentioned Farah did he begin to think about her. He didn't think about her a lot due to him constantly being mistreated by Esdeath's men, but now that he was going to have a little more freedom, he could finally think and dream about her.

He could think about her sun-kissed skin, her beautiful green eyes, her lovely smile, and her luscious figure.

 _"Yeah, there's no way Esdeath could love me."_ Tatsumi said to himself with a firm expression forming on his face. _"When I think about Farah, I get this warm feeling in my chest, I doubt Esdeath is even capable of feeling that. She's just a cruel woman who is very fond of me. That's it nothing more, and nothing less."_

After convincing himself that Esdeath held no romantic feelings for him, the two of them continued their journey to the ballroom in silence, as they drew closer to the room though, their ears were greeted by the sound of people enjoying themselves, and the sound of instruments being played.

Eventually, after about a minute of walking down the long corridor, the two of them arrived at the ballroom, and were stopped by the guards who were standing guard.

The captain of the guards held a clipboard in one hand and, and said to them. "General Esdeath, is this man with you?"

"Well, he is walking with me, isn't he?" Esdeath replied with a trace of amusement in her voice.

"He is, but what I meant was will this man be entering the party with you?" The guard clarified.

"Yes, why?" Esdeath answered with a curious look.

"No disrespect General Esdeath, but this banquet is one of high class being thrown by the Emperor, are you sure it's a wise idea to have a man accompany you with this type of attire?" The guard captain while sending Tatsumi a look.

"It's not like I get a choice in the matter, I'm her prisoner..." Tatsumi mumbled sarcastically in a tone low enough that somehow didn't reach any of the guards ears for none of them said anything.

"And you do know that this _banquet_ is being thrown in _my honor_ , right Captain?" Esdeath retorted as she crossed her arms with her lips curved slightly upwards. What had caused her to smile was Tatsumi's comment, for it was true he belonged to her, and she found the attire he fought her in to be good.

"Y-Yes, but-"

"And you do know that the _Emperor_ allowed this man to attend the banquet, right?" Esdeath interrupted causing the guard captain to fall silent. "Or were you not informed about him and you were simply asking because you were curious about him?"

"I... I-forgive me, General Esdeath, I was not informed and thought that he was just escorting you, my apologies if I caused you any offense." The man stuttered before apologizing and bowing deeply.

Tatsumi couldn't help from smirking a little at the scene before him, these types of scenes brought him a little joy in the life he was living right now. Sure, he still hated being here, and would rather be somewhere else, but seeing Imperials apologize, and try explaining their actions to Esdeath while asking for forgiveness had so far been quite amusing.

"... Because I'm in a good mood, I'll spare you of being tortured." Esdeath said in a nonchalant manner. "However, if you and your men take up my time again with trivial things like this, then I will torture you to death, is that understood?"

"Y-Yes, General Esdeath." The guards said in unison. They may have been a part of the Imperial Guard and under the Great General Budo's command, but Esdeath was close to the Prime Minister, and all she had to do was say a few words to him, and they'd be arrested on the spot and taken to the dungeon.

"Good, now do you mind opening the door already?" Esdeath said with a tinge of impatience in her voice. "You've already taken up enough of our time."

"Yes, of course, my apologies, General Esdeath." The guard captain said with a small bow before turning around and personally opening the large double doors for them.

Once, the two of them passed the guards, and the doors closed, Tatsumi said to Esdeath. "Were you really going to torture them?"

"Mmm, most likely not, them not being informed is understandable, not to mention, I'd miss this wonderful party if I did torture them." Esdeath admitted with a smile as the two of them headed up the flight of stairs that was in front of them. At the top of the steps was a crowd of people that were wearing very fancy clothing idling.

As Tatsumi was about to respond, the group of people noticed Esdeath, and immediately called out to her, making her believe that they were waiting for her.

This wasn't the first time the nobles and politicians did this, in fact, it was quite common of them. They did this in hopes of gaining favors with her which was amusing, for she would only give favors to her subordinates who earned through their prowess on the field of battle.

Deciding to ignore them, Esdeath grabbed ahold of Tatsumi's hand causing him to look at her with surprise and say to her. "What are you-"

"I am not in the mood of exchanging words with them, and I don't want them to stop you and ask who you are, so you are coming with me." Esdeath explained as she led Tatsumi through the group who had moved away from her upon her saying that. As much as they wanted to talk to her, they'd prefer to be a part of the living.

Seeing the logic behind her reason, Tatsumi decided to let her guide him. Upon arriving at the main room of the ballroom, Tatsumi couldn't even hide his astonishment. The room was massive, probably bigger than the palace's ballroom in Ylona. The room wasn't crowded to the point where no one could move, but there was for sure at least two hundred plus people in it, and that wasn't counting the servants, musicians, and guards.

"What's with that look, Tatsumi? It's like you've never attended a party before." Esdeath asked with a bit of amusement in her tone prompting the brown haired male to look at her.

"I have, but not one of this scale," Tatsumi confessed as he cast her a sideglance. "I mean, I knew the palace was big, but this room is massive."

Esdeath chuckled upon hearing this. "It is pretty big, but it isn't the largest room in the palace, Tatsumi. The largest room is the theater."

"The theater?" Tatsumi repeated with a small frown. He had heard about theaters and plays, but he hadn't actually ever gone to one, so he was kind of curious what it would look like.

"Yes, the theater." Esdeath affirmed as she looked at him, only to notice the Prime Minister and the Emperor making their way towards them.

"Looks, like we're meeting the Emperor and Prime Minister again earlier than I expected." Esdeath said with a tiny trace of irritation in her voice. She knew she was going to meet them again at the party, but for the time being, all she wanted to do was speak with Tatsumi. Unfortunately though, it seemed like that was asking for too much, for almost everyone she's encountered so far at the party has been trying to gain her attention.

Not picking up the trace of irritation in her voice, Tatsumi turned around and spotted the two people approaching them. He didn't say anything, but his lips did curve slightly downwards upon seeing the two of them.

"General Esdeath!" The Prime Minister said aloud with joy in his tone. "I'm so glad you made it! Tell us, what do you think of the Emperor's party? Did he do a wonderful job?"

"I think he's done a pretty good job," Esdeath said in response with a smile that she directed to the young ruler. "I haven't been able to have anything to drink yet, nor have I gotten to taste any of the food, but from what I've seen so far, I think it's quite lovely."

"That's good to hear!" Spoke the young Emperor with excitement in his voice. "In all honesty, I was worried that you might not enjoy it, but hearing that you like it so far brings me joy!"

 _"... A part of me wants to feel sorry for this kid, but another part of me can't help but think that this kid's an idiot."_ Tatsumi said to himself as he stared at the Emperor who was getting praised by the Prime Minister.

"My Emperor, do you think we could perhaps get Prince Tatsumi's thoughts on your party?" The Prime Minister questioned as he looked at Tatsumi who was a little taken back by the sudden question.

"Why do you want Tatsumi's thoughts on the party?" Esdeath asked, a look of suspicion written on her face.

"Isn't it obvious, General Esdeath?" The Prime Minister replied with a big smile that creeped the Esperan Prince out a little. "Tatsumi here is a prince, and must have attended many parties like this, so I'm simply wondering what he thinks about it."

"You're right he is a prince." The Emperor said aloud after remembering who Tatsumi was.

"Exactly, so Prince Tatsumi, what do you think of the party so far?" The Prime Minister asked as he looked at the brown haired male. He had seen Esdeath's glare, which was interesting, for he didn't know why Esdeath was acting like this. He had talked to Esdeath's prisoners multiple times, but this one was different, it was like Esdeath didn't want anyone to talk to him, which was very interesting as well as strange.

"... Am I allowed to speak honestly?" Tatsumi asked after several seconds of silence.

"Of course," The Emperor answered with a small nod. "I am looking for honest feedback after all."

"If that's the case, then I don't like it." Tatsumi declared with a scowl on his face. "In case you have forgotten, I was at war with your Empire, I watched thousands of my people get butchered before my eyes by this woman, and now I'm watching people praise her and call her a saint. It pisses me off."

He knew that this declaration was most likely going to invoke Esdeath's wrath, but he didn't care anymore after thinking about it for a while. They were acting as if they were allies and as if they never went to war with his people, and that annoyed him. He was annoyed that they were asking him if he enjoyed celebrating Esdeath's conquest against his people.

The people around them who had heard what Tatsumi said immediately fell silent and sent looks in his direction. The Emperor was not expecting this reply and was taken back by his words, while the Prime Minister had a displeased look on his face. The only one whose face was unreadable was Esdeath.

After nearly a minute of silence, the Prime Minister spoke. "I'm going to take responsibility for this, My Emperor. I had thought it would be wiser if we treated him as a guest, and because of that, we offended him. I'm sorry, Prince Tatsumi, I didn't know that the war between our two nations had left a bitter taste in your mouth."

"The fault is with you, Prime Minister." Esdeath said with a tinge of tiredness in her voice. "Understand that Tatsumi isn't a guest, he is my property, and my soon to be subordinate. Right now he hasn't learned to let go of the past, so having him be here and asking him questions like this is honestly going to upset him."

Even though it was Esdeath who had suggested that he was allowed to come here, the Prime Minister said in response. "My apologies, General Esdeath, that was my mistake."

With that said, Esdeath grabbed ahold of Tatsumi's arm and said to the Emperor and Prime Minister. "If you excuse us, I'm going to take Tatsumi back to my room and have a _chat_ with him about what has transpired here. My Emperor, I'm sorry if he's caused you any offense."

"It's fine, General Esdeath, I think I was in the wrong for asking a question." The Emperor said in response, still a little taken back by the attitude Tatsumi gave him.

Tatsumi would have said something, but because was gripping his arm hard, he decided not to and just stay silent. He didn't regret what he said, he just wished they didn't try acting as if they were his friends.

* * *

 **(Revan's AN): Hmm, I think this chapter could have been better, but that's probably me. I don't know, I always think the chapter could be better, but that's because I feel like I don't put in a lot of effort. Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed, yes there's a lot of people in Night-Raid, and yes a lot of them didn't get to talk, but I just didn't see them exchanging words. I also didn't see the point of revealing their Imperial Arms, I mean sure, I revealed a name and that one is very destructive, but I didn't reveal it's abilities. Honestly, I don't like when people do that stuff upon introducing the character, it kind of ruins the anticipation. Like, I'm the type of person who goes like, "Oh boy, I can't wait to find out what this bad boy can do!"**

 **Anyways, I'm going to go now, like I said earlier, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, if you didn't, then I apologize, but it can't be helped. I'm not a pro writer, I'm just a guy who writes to pass time.**

 **Link to the discord server:** discord .gg/ uDxVym8


	19. There'll Be Another Time

**(Revan's AN): I hope you all enjoy this chapter.**

 **Full Summary:** Tatsumi Seika, the second son of Kaito Seika, was a rebellious child. Unlike his siblings, he didn't care about the duties of a prince, and after being told that he was going to marry some noblewoman, he ran away from home. Now, after five years of being away, Tatsumi has finally returned.

 **Non-canon, single-pairing, OOC Characters.**

* * *

 _"Flashbacks" -_ **Thinking**

"Flashbacks" - _**Talking**_

 _[Flashbacks]_ **\- Letters or Reports.**

 **Theme Song: Rise, by The Glitch Mob, Mako, and The Word Alive.**

 **Main Writer:** Revan the Edgelord

 **Co-Writer:** None.

* * *

Tatsumi felt like he was going to keel over any second now. It had been several days since the party, and since then he hadn't been fed any food.

Upon returning to Esdeath's room, Esdeath had immediately slapped him and told him that he disappointed her before hitting him several more times. Once she was done beating him, Esdeath said that until he actually learned his place he could starve, for she was tired of the same things happening over and over again.

He didn't know what she meant when she said this, but it was clear as day that Esdeath was upset with him.

 _"I need food..."_ Tatsumi said to himself as he continued to lay on his bed, clutching the bedsheet with his left hand which was in front of his face. _"Someone please give me some food..."_

At first, he was fine and was able to hold out, and act like nothing was wrong but the starvation was getting to him. He needed something to eat.

As he continued to lay there, his nose picked up something, something that smelled delicious.

Not long after he picked up this smell, the doors to Esdeath's room opened, and walking into the room with a platter of food was none other than Esdeath herself.

After entering the room, Esdeath closed the door behind her and said aloud. "Good evening Tatsumi, I trust you are doing well?"

Tatsumi didn't respond, for his eyes were focusing solely on the food he saw on the platter.

Noticing that he was looking at the food on the plate she let out a laugh. "Oh, I see you want this, don't you? It's understandable, I haven't fed you for about eight days now, so you're probably starving."

As she said this she made her way to her desk and placed the platter down. Once she did this, she moved behind it and opened one of the drawers and grabbed a key before closing it and making her way towards Tatsumi's cell.

"That meal could be _yours_ , Tatsumi," Esdeath said in a soft tone as she unlocked his cell and entered it.

Hearing those words caused Tatsumi to look at her.

Seeing that she had his attention, she continued speaking. "but you're going to have to do a few things for me. After all, what you did at that banquet was something unacceptable, so it makes sense if you have to do a few things for me in return."

"... Wh-What do you want?" Tatsumi asked with great reluctance. He hated that he was giving into this, but there was nothing that could be done about this if he resisted she would just go on about her day, eat the food in front of him, and then leave him here only to come back again with a meal and even more demands.

A smile formed on Esdeath's face. "First, I want you to get up."

Deciding not to question why she wants him to get up, Tatsumi sat up.

"No, I want you to stand Tatsumi." Esdeath corrected as she continued to look down at him.

Listening to her order, Tatsumi got up out of his bed.

Once he was out of the bed, Esdeath said two words.

" _Undress me_."

It took Tatsumi a couple seconds to process what she said, but after he processed what she said, Tatsumi said in response. "Huh?"

Her response to this was a backhand across the face.

The power behind it was enough to turn his head, but not enough to make him fall, however, it still hurt.

"Undress me." She repeated, her smile still on her face.

"... Why?" He asked after a couple of seconds only to receive a slap this time with the same hand which made his head to turn the other way.

"Do you want to eat or not?" She questioned as he shifted his head to look at her again.

"... Yes." He answered after several seconds of silence.

"Then undress me." She ordered, traces of satisfaction in her voice.

Complying with the command, Tatsumi began to undress the general.

He started with the scarf that was wrapped around her neck, he didn't know why, but his hands were trembling.

Esdeath noticed his shaking arms, and said to him. "You didn't need to be scared Tatsumi, all you are doing is undressing me."

He didn't respond, for he couldn't find any words to say to her.

After he took off the scarf, Esdeath said in a relaxed tone. "Good job, now set it down and get started on my top."

Not saying anything once again, Tatsumi placed the scarf on the bed before directing his attention towards the buttons of her uniform.

He didn't do anything at first. He just simply stared at them.

Seeing that he hadn't begun to unbutton her top, she said in an amused voice. "Why are you so hesitant? Don't you want to eat?"

"... Yes." He said in response. He sounded like he was about to cry, but Esdeath didn't say anything about his tone.

"Well, then you should probably get started, the longer you take, the colder your food will be." Esdeath said as she closed her eyes and waited for Tatsumi to start unbuttoning her top.

With shaky hands, Tatsumi grabbed ahold of the top right black button, which was underneath her right breast, and unbuttoned it.

"That's one." Esdeath said aloud, her eyes still closed and a smile still written on her face. "A few more to go, Tatsumi."

Tatsumi responded with nothing, but silence. He wasn't sure what was going on right now, but he felt like she was training him.

 _"I want to tell her that she can do this herself, but I'm so hungry."_ Tatsumi said to himself as he moved to the next button, which was underneath her left breast.

As he unbuttoned the second button, Esdeath said to him. "I don't know if you know this Tatsumi, but there have been talks about launching another assault on Espera."

Hearing this made him freeze on the spot and stop what he was doing.

Knowing that she now had his complete undivided attention, she continued. "It hasn't been decided yet, but I probably won't let it happen... That is if you stay by my side, Tatsumi."

"... What do you want from me?" Tatsumi asked as his eyes dropped, unable to look her in the eye.

"Everything." She answered as she grabbed ahold of his chin and forced him to look into her blue eyes. "I want everything. Your allegiance, your admiration, your blood, your sweat, your tears, _I want it all_."

Tatsumi didn't say anything, but he did feel his willpower slowly leaving him.

"I... I can't give you those things." He confessed after about a minute of silence.

" _Not yet_ , but soon you will." Esdeath said as she gently let go of his face and stretched out her arms again. "Now, continue undressing me."

Not knowing what to say in response, Tatsumi resumed what he was doing.

It took him about a minute, but eventually, he finished unbuttoning her top, which in return greeted him to a sight many men would kill to see.

"What are you doing?" Esdeath asked with a curious look causing him to shift his eyes upwards. "Hurry up and take my top off."

Tatsumi opened his mouth to reply, only to immediately shut it. He was going to say to her, 'Can't you do that yourself?' but remembered that if he questioned her, he would get slapped.

Seeing him close his mouth made her smirk. _"He's learning his position fast."_

With reluctance, Tatsumi moved behind her and took her top off her. The process was a slow one, and looked like it was a lover undressing their partner, but in actuality, it was because Tatsumi was extremely hesitant and nervous.

After taking the top off, Tatsumi set it down on the bed next to them, the only thing that now covered her upper body's flesh was the white bra that was underneath her uniform.

"Now the bra." She ordered in a gentle tone, not even bothering to look over her shoulder at him.

"You can't be-" Tatsumi started only to stop when she did look over her shoulder at him. The look on her face told him that she was serious and that if he questioned her one more time he would regret it.

"-I understand." He said as his eyes dropped to the grown, signifying his compliance.

With that done, Esdeath directed her attention back ahead of her and waited for him to unhook her bra.

Tatsumi at first didn't do anything, he simply stared at the hook.

 _"Am I really going to undress her?"_ He asked himself as his lips curved slightly downwards. _"Just so I can have some food?"_

He didn't want to do this. In fact, he felt like he was betraying not only himself and the people that died, but the woman he loved.

 _"Farah..."_ He said as his hands slowly moved to the hook of the bra. _"I'm sorry..."_

Upon him unhooking the bra, Esdeath smiled again. "Good, now I assume you don't need me to tell you what to do next, right?"

"... No." Tatsumi answered as he began to take the bra off of her only for her to stop him.

"Wait." She said before turning around to face him. "Alright, now you can take it off."

Tatsumi stared at her for a couple of seconds before slowly resuming what he was doing.

As he pulled the bra off, Tatsumi's eyes remained glued to her face, for he didn't want to see the nubs that were hidden underneath the bra.

Once he took it off, Esdeath said to him. "I don't want you making eye contact with me, keep your eyes to the ground."

Although he was hesitant, the brown-haired male didn't say anything in response. Instead, he complied with the command and lowered his gaze only to end up seeing her sexuality.

Tatsumi, however, paid little attention to that. He instead got to work unfastening the black belt that was wrapped around her waist.

"Slowly," Esdeath stated in a calm tone causing him to stop what he was doing. "I want you to do it slowly."

Not saying anything again, Tatsumi resumed his work, but this time at a slower pace than before.

It didn't take him long, and once he was done he placed the belt next to all the other clothing that laid on his bed.

"Good, now the skirt." She said with a smile as she put her hands on Tatsumi's shoulders.

Tatsumi instinctively looked at the hands on his shoulders before going down on his knees. It took him some time due to the reluctance, but eventually, he was on his knees in front of Esdeath.

Esdeath's smile grew bigger upon seeing this sight, for this was a sight she longed for.

"I like this position, I like it a lot." She said aloud as she squeezed his shoulders slightly that way she wouldn't fall when he begins taking off her skirt, for she wasn't used to people undressing her.

Deciding not to respond, Tatsumi grabbed ahold of the sides of the skirt and began to pull it down. As it went down, he saw out of the top of his eyes her underwear. They were white like the bra she wore.

Once it reached her calves, Esdeath helped him out a little by lifting her right foot up in the air before placing it down and lifting her left foot up.

Esdeath was now practically naked with the only things on being her panties, and her high heel boots that went up to her thighs.

"You're pretty good at this." Esdeath complimented as she sat down on the bed. "It's like you were made to follow my commands."

Tatsumi gritted his teeth as well as clenched his fists, and for a second glared at her, but quickly dropped his glared, and returned to looking at the floor.

Esdeath however, saw the anger in his eyes, and even though it was for a second, she needed him to understand that this is his life now.

"Take off my boots," She commanded in a cold voice. "but not with your hands. I want you to do it with your teeth."

"... Stop this." Tatsumi said in response after several seconds of silence.

"No." She replied, her voice firmer than before. " _You_ need to understand that _you_ belong to me and that you're mine and that I'll _never_ let you go."

"... I understand, so please stop..." Tatsumi stated in a somewhat pleading manner. His voice was still low, no louder than a whisper.

"If you understand, then. take them off with your _teeth_." She ordered as her eyes narrowed slightly.

"..."

...

...

...

Tatsumi didn't know how long it had been, but he felt like a part of him had died right now.

Esdeath who was sitting on the bed naked smiled as she looked at him.

"You did well." She said in a soft tone as she gently rubbed her foot against his thigh. "Although you were a little resistant, you still did well."

Tatsumi said nothing in response. He merely continued to look at the floor.

Knowing that he had no words to exchange with her, Esdeath got up and said aloud. "I'll go bring you your food. You earned it."

After she did that, Esdeath closed the door to his cell and locked it before placing the key on her desk and making her way to the bathroom, leaving Tatsumi alone in the room.

At first, Tatsumi did nothing, he simply listened to the sound of the shower running as well what sounded like Esdeath humming, but eventually, he moved, for there'll be another time.

Another time where he'll have the chance to kill Esdeath, and when that time comes...

He'll do it.

He didn't know when it will be, but he knew there'll be another time.

* * *

Ieyasu released a yawn as he made his way to the dining room. It had been nine days since he arrived at Night-Raid's hideout and since then he has done nothing but guard the base really.

He had entered the Capital with Lubbock a couple days ago to get supplies as well as learn about the Capital's districts, but that was it.

As he was about to reach the door, he heard someone shout at the top of their lungs. "Why are you in my room again you pervert old man!?"

 _"Looks like Jericho fell asleep in Mine's room_ again. _"_ Ieyasu said to himself with a small smile. He didn't know why, but hearing an upset Mine was just funny.

Opening the door to the dining room, Ieyasu was welcomed to the sight of Akame, Lubbock, and Bulat who were sitting in their usual seats, and Susanoo who was standing next to them and giving them their meals.

"Good morning," Ieyasu said aloud as he closed the door behind him and gaining the attention of the males, but not Akame for she was too focused on eating.

"Good morning, Ieyasu." Bulat said in response before taking a bite out of his food.

"Morning." Lubbock greeted with a wave of his hand.

Susanoo, however, didn't say anything to him, he simply stared at the black haired warrior with a visible frown on his face.

Noticing the expression, Ieyasu said to the tall man. "Something wrong with Susanoo?"

"...Yes." Came the blue-haired male's response before disappearing and appearing in front of him. "Your martial arts band is slanted."

As he said this, Susanoo straightened the fabric on top of his head out.

"Oh," Was the noice that left Ieyasu's mouth. When Susanoo had vanished into thin air, Ieyasu thought for a second that the Teigu was going to kill him, for Susanoo was an intimidating figure.

Satisfied with the hammer wielder's appearance, Susanoo said to the man. "I am making breakfast what do you want to eat?"

"I-"

"Steak." Akame interrupted as she appeared right next to Ieyasu causing him to jump and release a scream of manliness.

"How did you get there!? And why are you answering a question that he asked me?" Ieyasu demanded as he glared at her. He had seen her at the table, so how did she manage to appear by him?

"I'm fast." She answered as she gave him a look.

Ieyasu didn't say anything.

"When she's hungry her speed doubles." Lubbock called out, his voice slightly incoherent due to him having food in his mouth.

"... Does it really?" Ieyasu asked as he looked at the two people who were eating.

"Pretty much, yeah. It's quite an impressive feat." Bulat answered before taking a sip of his drink.

Ieyasu didn't know if they were fucking with him, but seeing as she had managed to get right next to him without him even noticing, he kind of believed it.

"Steak, and what do you want Ieyasu?" Susanoo said with a nod before looking at the black haired male. She didn't specify what type of steak she wanted, but if he looked at her past meals, then she most likely would want something that was tender and soft, so he had a couple of ideas.

"Um, an egg sandwich?" Ieyasu said with a bit of uncertainty in his voice.

"Egg sandwich, and a steak, understood. Please sit down, your food will be made soon." Susanoo stated before vanishing and appearing in the kitchen. He was wearing an apron now.

Ieyasu was about to say something to Akame, but when he looked at where he last saw her, she wasn't there. Confused Ieyasu looked around only to notice that she was already sitting back down at the table with a fork and knife in her hands.

"She's definitely not normal..." Ieyasu muttered under his breath before walking over to his spot at the table.

...

...

...

"I see, so the man Lubbock and Leone saw with Esdeath upon returning is truly Prince Tatsumi Seika?" Najenda said with a small frown as she lit her cigar.

"I don't know for sure, Boss." Replied Chelsea as she took her lollipop out of her mouth. "I wasn't able to sneak into her room at all to confirm it, but almost everyone in the inner part of the city are talking about him and saying that he is."

Hearing this caused Najenda to release a sigh of frustration. She didn't know what happened up in the North, but if Tatsumi Seika was captured and being held captive by Esdeath, then the Revolutionary Army's leaders need to be informed about this.

"I could try sneaking in again, but Esdeath's room is practically on lockdown." Chelsea said before putting her candy back in her mouth.

"That won't be necessary," Najenda said with a wave of her hand. "If everyone in the Capital is saying that he is Tatsumi Seika, then he most likely is Tatsumi Seika."

"The description of him matches the one I heard in Espera," Chelsea said as Najenda exhaled some smoke. "so you're probably right."

"Yeah, which is something I wasn't really hoping for." Najenda said with traces of exhaustion in her voice. "If Tatsumi Seika is alive and in the Capital City, then his brother is going to want to know about this."

"He will," Chelsea affirmed. "When I was in Espera, I heard that Numa had his best guards protecting Tatsumi, so he most likely cares a lot about him."

"Yep, which would then lead to him wanting the Revolutionary Army to help rescue his brother." Najenda said with a frown. She didn't know much about Tatsumi, but one thing she did know was that he was an important piece on the board now.

If the Empire continues to hold Tatsumi hostage, then Numa and the Esperans wouldn't be able to assist and attack the Empire, and if the Revolutionary Army refused to help rescue his brother, then they probably won't aid them in overthrowing the Empire.

"The one thing that confuses me though is the condition of Tatsumi." Chelsea said after a few seconds of silence. "From what Leone and Lubbock said he looked to be in good condition, and when I asked around in the Palace there was gossip about how he was at Esdeath's banquet and how he insulted the Emperor."

"That is something I also don't understand." Najenda agreed as she took the cigar out of her mouth. "Esdeath has never treated her prisoners like this, so why is she treating him like this?"

"I don't know, but I could attempt to find out." Chelsea said in response.

"If you can, try, but don't get caught in the process." Najenda stated with a firm look.

"Don't worry, I won't." Chelsea with a grin.

* * *

Numa released a sigh as he, Iguchi, and Theo waited for the Revolutionary Army's leaders to enter the room.

They had finally arrived at the Revolutionary Army's HQ after weeks of traveling only for them ending up having to wait for a meeting with the army's leaders.

At first, the King of Espera didn't mind this, for he understood that they were at war, but after several days of waiting for them, his patience was at an end.

Luckily, the army's leaders were finally able to have their meeting with him, but unfortunately, they were running late.

"I'm sure the meeting will begin soon, Your Majesty." Iguchi stated as he looked at Numa who was tapping the table in an impatient manner. He had gone back to addressing Numa with 'Your Majesty' for the time being due to them no longer posing as mercenaries slash adventures.

Theo snorted upon hearing this. "I highly doubt that, they've kept us waiting for quite some time now."

"So?" Iguchi said in response. "That probably means that they're done with whatever they're doing, and are coming to meet His Majesty."

As the two started to bicker, Numa released another sigh, this time though he was sighing because of them, for he honestly didn't want to hear the two argue with one another.

Fortunately, the Gods were on his side, for not long after they began to bicker the sound of the door unlocking was heard followed by it being open.

Theo and Iguchi had heard these sounds, and directed their attention to the doorway and watched as several people entered the room.

"Your Grace, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Spoke the first man who entered the room and sat down across from Numa. "My name is Leon, and I have a lot of things to discuss with you."

* * *

 **(Revan's AN): Let's just cut it there. I think it's decently long, and a pretty good chapter overall. I um, don't think I have much to say, so I'll just go now. Thanks for reading, see ya later.**

 **Link to the discord server:** discord .gg/ uDxVym8


	20. Dreams And Realities

**(Revan's AN): I hope you all enjoy this chapter.**

 **Full Summary:** Tatsumi Seika, the second son of Kaito Seika, was a rebellious child. Unlike his siblings, he didn't care about the duties of a prince, and after being told that he was going to marry some noblewoman, he ran away from home. Now, after five years of being away, Tatsumi has finally returned.

 **Non-canon, single-pairing, OOC Characters.**

* * *

 _"Flashbacks" -_ **Thinking**

"Flashbacks" - _**Talking**_

 _[Flashbacks]_ **\- Letters or Reports.**

 **Theme Song: Rise, by The Glitch Mob, Mako, and The Word Alive.**

 **Main Writer:** Revan the Edgelord

 **Co-Writer:** None.

* * *

Numa in response simply stared at the man. His hair was mostly dark blonde with streaks of black in it, and his eyes were golden colored. He had a robust figure, and was probably a few inches taller than Numa. His attire consisted of armor that was dark steel, but what piqued Numa's interest was the symbol that was painted on top of his armor.

It was a symbol of a lion.

After several seconds though, Numa responded to the man. "Is there a reason why I've been having to wait for quite some time?"

Numa was a king, and even if he really didn't mind having to wait a while to meet the leaders of the rebel army, he had an image to uphold.

"My apologies, Your Grace." Leon said with a small and respectful bow. "I had planned on meeting you earlier, but there were things that required my attention, surely you can understand this, yes?"

Numa's reply to this was a derisive snort.

The woman who had already taken her seat on Leon's left said in an annoyed tone. "If you're going to be like this, then I feel like there is nothing for us to discuss, _Your Grace_."

Iguchi didn't take kindly to lack of respect in her voice, and said to her almost immediately. "You will speak to His Majesty with the respect, or not at all."

"Everyone calm down." Leone stated in a firm tone before the situation could escalate any further. "There is no reason hostility, we all have the same enemy."

Numa didn't say anything, but he did cast the woman a glance. She had midnight black hair with violet colored eyes. She had abnormally large boobs, and wore a red dress unlike the other two leaders making him believe that the woman was most likely a noble or something along those lines.

"I will agree, I did not come here to fight, I came here because what you said is true. Our enemy is the same. I am just annoyed that you had me wait a long time to have this meeting." Numa declared as he directed his attention to the man who was standing in front of him.

Iguchi, although reluctant, apologized for the threat he had made.

Satisfied with this, Leon took his seat and said to Numa. "Your annoyance is reasonable, you are a king after all, and kings shouldn't have to wait."

With that said a small silence filled the room, but Theo quickly broke the silence. "Well, now that we got all of that out of the way, shall we begin discussing this alliance?"

"Yes," Numa stated with a small nod. "I'd like to get this meeting underway."

"Very well, but first I'd like to inform you about something that you should know about." Leon started with a firm look.

"What is it?" Numa replied, a trace of curiosity in his voice. He doubted it be anything useful, but there was no harm in hearing the man out.

"We don't know if this is true, but we have received reports that General Esdeath has taken your brother, Tatsumi Seika as her prisoner." Leon declared causing not only Numa's eyes to widen but Theo's and Iguchi's too.

"What did you say?" Numa questioned, a solemn expression written on his face.

"Our group in the Capital City had witnessed a man in chains walking alongside General Esdeath to the palace." The man on Leon's right stated causing the three warriors to shift their attention to him. He had silver hair, hazel colored eyes, and a beard. "They described the man to be in his twenties with brown hair and green eyes. They also said he wore black robes that an assassin would wear. They're not completely sure who he is yet, so they're investigating him as we speak."

"That sounds exactly like Tatsumi alright." Theo declared with a serious look.

"You're right, that does sound like Tatsumi." Numa said as he looked at Theo. He was doing his best to hide his shock, but the leaders of the Revolutionary Army could see clear as day the surprise on Numa's face.

"Your Majesty," Iguchi started causing Numa to shift his attention to him. "if His Highness is alive, then we need to start planning a rescue mission. We need-"

"That's suicidal." Interrupted the woman prompting Iguchi to fall silent and look at her. "General Esdeath is a monster who has destroyed many peoples' lives. If she has your brother captive, then there's no point rescuing him, his spirit has probably been broken already."

Numa didn't say anything at first, but when he spoke, he said to them. "I don't care, he's my brother, and I told her that if she touched my brother I will kill her. I thank you for this meeting, but there is nothing for us to discuss anymore. Right now, my priorities are rescuing my brother."

Not even two seconds after this declaration, Numa had risen up from his chair and began to make his way to the door, but before he could reach it, Leon called out to him. "Wait! I believe we can still help each other out."

Numa in response stopped and looked over his shoulder to give the man a curious look.

Seeing that he had his attention, Leon spoke his mind. "We need your army to help take the Capital City, and you want your brother back. What I'm proposing is that you allow us to rescue him."

"Is there a difference?" Numa questioned as he tilted his head slightly.

"Yes," Leon stated with a nod. "we can guarantee his rescue."

Now this interested the king.

"Is that so?" Numa replied, traces of interest in his voice.

"Yes, that is so." Leon affirmed. "So why don't you sit back down, and let us discuss this idea as well as this alliance?"

Numa stared at him for a couple of seconds, but after a while he gave in, and said to the man. "Very well, let's hear what you have to offer."

* * *

"It's time to get up, Tatsumi." Came Esdeath's voice causing Tatsumi's eyes to snap open and see Esdeath's pale thighs directly in front of him.

His dream has been the same as of lately, a dream of where he kills Esdeath and does things right.

In his dream, he would be back in Espera, in his mother's garden with Esdeath standing before him and with his spear in his hand.

In his dream, the two of them would fight, and he would kill Esdeath by stabbing her in the heart with his spear.

In his dream, he would then make short work of Esdeath's subordinates before removing Esdeath's head from her shoulders and planting her head on a spike on the Palace's walls.

In his dream, he did things right.

As he slowly got up, Esdeath spoke. "I trust you slept well?"

Tatsumi at first didn't say anything, but after a few seconds, he responded.

"Yes."

His voice wasn't his usual one due to his nose being stuff, but that didn't matter really at all, for she heard him perfectly due to her incredible hearing.

"I'm glad." She said with a small grin as he got up out of the bed. "For a while now, I've been wondering if you've been having any trouble sleeping, but if you say you're sleeping fine, then I guess I shouldn't worry."

Tatsumi stayed silent. As of lately, he's found it best to say only a few words to her and speak only when spoken too.

The reason why was because he started to not trust his own mouth, if he said something she didn't like, she would hit him. If he spoke out of turn, she would beat him. If she felt he wasn't being honest with her, she would not feed him for a day or two.

In short, she was training him, and he knew that, but there wasn't anything he could do really about his situation.

All he could do was hope that a chance would arise, but as time passed that hope he had started to become smaller and smaller.

Noticing that he had been exchanging few and fewer words with her, Esdeath said to him. "Is everything alright, Tatsumi?"

Tatsumi was hesitant to reply. If he told her the truth, then she would most likely get upset with him, but if he didn't say anything, then she definitely would get mad and hit him.

Seeing the hesitation, Esdeath gently placed her hands on top of his cheeks, and said to him. "Tell me what's bothering you, Tatsumi."

The way she spoke was different from before. In the past she would speak firmly, but this time she didn't. This time Esdeath spoke in a gentle tone that was full of affection.

"I..." Tatsumi started, his handings trembling.

"Yes?" She said in an encouraging manner as she looked into his green eyes.

"I'm... I'm just nervous." He confessed as he closed his eyes, and waited for his punishment to come.

However, nothing happened. Esdeath didn't squeeze his face, nor did she throw him against the cell's wall, nor did she beat him. Instead, she spoke in a slightly amused tone. "Nervous? Why are you nervous, Tatsumi?"

Opening his eyes slightly, Tatsumi was welcomed to a sight he didn't expect to see. Esdeath was smiling at him, but it wasn't a smile that he was used to seeing, which was full of malice and cruelty, it was a smile full of care and concern.

"Because..." He said hesitantly as he diverted his eyes away from her.

"Tatsumi, look at me." She said in a tone that was a little firm.

Tatsumi in response complied with the command and looked back at her. He was scared of what was going to happen.

 _"Here it comes, she's going to hit me, she's-"_

"I want you to speak honestly with me, please Tatsumi." She declared, her voice soft and gentle.

Tatsumi remained silent upon hearing this.

 _"This is a trick, she's just acting like this, the moment I tell her the truth she's going to punish me. I need to lie, I need to lie, and convince her that there's nothing wrong."_ He said to himself as he stared into her eyes.

Yet despite telling himself these things, Tatsumi confessed the truth. "I just don't want to upset you."

"Oh Tatsumi..." Esdeath said in a voice that was filled with nothing but sadness as she brought his face into her bosom. "There's nothing you could do that would upset me."

 _"That's a lie!"_ He shouted mentally as Esdeath rested her head on top of his. _"You're lying to me!"_

Even though, Tatsumi screamed those words to himself why did he feel so relieved to hear that from her?

And why were tears rolling down his cheeks?

The two of them were in this position for quite some time with Esdeath gently running her hand through the back of his head's hair. Neither fo them said any words during this time, but eventually that silence was broken by Esdeath.

"I have a meeting to go to, Tatsumi," Her voice soft and full of affection. "but don't worry, I won't be gone for a long. It'll be quick, and once I'm back we can have breakfast together, okay?"

"... Okay..." Tatsumi said after a few seconds of silence.

With that said, Esdeath released him from her grasp and exited his cell and closed it behind her. Tatsumi didn't see this, but she had a smile on her face, a sadistic smile.

...

...

...

Upon entering the room, Esdeath was greeted by the sight of the Prime Minister who was sitting on the opposite side of the room. He sat behind a very long table, and had a massive plate of food in front of him.

"Esdeath, my dear, how are you doing?" The Prime Minister welcomed in a friendly manner as the doors were closed behind him.

"I'm doing fine." She responded as she walked over to her seat which was directly across from the Prime Minister. "In fact, I'd say I'm doing wonderfully."

"Oh?" Was the noise that came from the Prime Minister's mouth before he picked up the large chicken leg and took a huge bite out of it. "What makes you say that?"

"Because Tatsumi is finally starting to become mine!" Esdeath said with glee as a smile formed across her face. "I have longed for this moment, and now it's only a matter of time before I become his everything!"

As the Prime Minister listened to this he ate his food. In truth, he didn't know why she found the boy to be interesting, sure he was able to inherit the Esperan Throne, but Esdeath had no interest in politics really, so he didn't see what made him special. If he had to guess though, it must have had something to do with prowess on the field of battle, or something along those lines.

After he finished chewing his food, the Prime Minister said to her. "It sounds almost as if you love him."

"Love?" Esdeath said as her smile lessened a bit. "I don't know about that, he may be strong in battle, but I feel his willpower is not as strong as I thought it was. After all, I haven't even had to take him to the torture chambers and he's already submitting to my will."

"Well, I could understand why from what I've heard you have been constantly beating him as well as starving him for the past two weeks over the most trivial things." The Prime Minister said in Tatsumi's defense. He may have lost interest in the boy due to him belonging to Esdeath, but that didn't mean he stopped keeping tabs on him. "You might as well consider that torture."

"Hmm, I guess it could be torture if you put it like that, but either way I don't think I'd say I love him." Esdeath said after a while.

At this, the Prime Minister shrugged. "Eh, what you think of him honestly doesn't concern me. He's your property after all, so you can do whatever you want with him. All I ask is that don't let him become an obsession and distract you from your work."

Esdeath didn't say anything, but she did think about her relationship with Tatsumi.

She, of course, admired many things about him, but she wasn't sure if that meant she loved him. Sure, she had also teased him about them looking like lovers a few times, but she was only doing that to get reactions out of him.

 _"Now that I think more about it..."_ Esdeath said to herself as she placed her left hand on her chin. _"I do treat him quite differently than everyone else. After all, he's the only man who has seen me completely naked and is still breathing."_

There had been a lot of men that she met in her life, but not a single one of them had the privilege that Tatsumi had, so was there something more between them? She believed they had a master-servant relationship, but was there a chance that there was something more between them?

Deciding to think more about it later, Esdeath said to the Prime Minister. "Anyways, what is the reason you wanted to have this meeting again?"

The reason why she asked that was because the Prime Minister had wanted to have a meeting with her last night, but because she was tired she had told the messenger that she was going to go to bed and that she would have a meeting with him first thing in the morning.

"Ah, yes!" The Prime Minister said aloud upon remembering why he wanted to meet with her. "The reason why I called you here is to discuss Night-Raid and how they need to be dealt with as well as a certain rumor I heard about a King in the North."

"Oh?" Esdeath said with interest as she got up and marched over to the bottle of wine to pour herself a glass of wine. "What have you heard about this King in the North?"

She knew who the Prime Minister was talking about, for there was only one person who ruled the North, and that person was Numa Seika.

The Prime Minister chuckled slightly upon hearing this. "Well, from what my spies have told me, he's apparently met with the leaders of the Revolutionary Army."

After taking a sip of the glass, Esdeath said in response. "Did he now?"

"Yes he did, which makes me think that we need to either deal with him, or launch another attack on Espera claiming that they had launched another terrorist attack." The Prime Minister declared as Esdeath picked up the bottle and walked back to her seat with it along with her glass.

"We don't need to do anything like that at the moment." Esdeath said as she sat down, a small smile forming on her face. "All we have to do is inform Numa that we have his brother, and if he ever wants to see him again, then he shouldn't launch an invasion."

Esdeath though, had no intentions of giving up Tatsumi. He belonged to her, and she didn't want to give him up.

"I'm surprised, Esdeath." The Prime Minister stated with a look of surprise. "I had figured that you wanted to attack the Esperans again."

"As interesting as it would be, I've already gotten what I wanted from Espera." Esdeath confessed with a small smile before taking a sip of her drink. "Attacking them again will give me nothing, so there's no point for me to go to war with them again."

"I-I see." The Prime Minister acknowledged, he had honestly expected her to say something along the lines about how she was looking forward to fighting them again, but if she had no interest in going to war with them again, then there was nothing he could. Espera was a large country, not as large as the Empire, but nonetheless large, so if they were planning on going to war with them again, then they'd need Esdeath to deal with them.

"Anyways, what is it about Night-Raid you want to talk to me about?" Esdeath questioned after taking another sip of her drink.

"Night-Raid has started to become a thorn in my side." The Prime Minister started as his brows furrowed. "At first, I didn't mind them killing my allies because it just showed that they weren't careful and competent, but now it's getting to the point where I'm starting to get annoyed with these attacks, which is why I was thinking of you forming a team of Teigu users to combat them."

"A team of Teigu users, huh?" Esdeath mused as she set her glass down on the table. "I like the sound of that, but I already have the Three Beasts."

"Of course, which is why I was thinking of them merging into this team." The Prime Minister stated with a smile. "Their experience would prove useful, and from what I've heard there has been an increase in the members of Night-Raid, now I don't know if this is true, but if there are more members of Night-Raid, then you'll need a squad to combat them."

"So," Esdeath started as she poured more wine into her glass. "you're giving me a team of Teigu wielding soldiers, and in exchange of this you want me to utilize them to eliminate Night-Raid?"

"Yes." The Prime Minister affirmed. This was, of course, an idea, so if she refused, then he'd have to think of another idea, but if Esdeath agreed to it, then he would speak with the Emperor and convince the boy that they need a subjugation squad to deal with Night-Raid.

"Very well, it sounds interesting, I'll do it." Esdeath said after a couple seconds of pondering. The idea of seeing a bunch of strong warriors fighting one another to the death was an interesting idea, and not to mention it had been far too long since she had seen Najenda. Plus if she agreed to this, then she would be stationed in the Capital City, so in reality, she had no reason to refuse this idea.

"Excellent! I'll send you the files of the candidates, and let you chose them." The Prime Minister stated in a cheerful manner as he clapped his hands.

Esdeath nodded in response before drinking the remaining wine in her glass. Once she finished drinking, she set the glass down, and said to the large man. "If you have nothing else to discuss with me, then I will take my leave now, Prime Minister."

...

...

...

Upon returning to her room, Esdeath was welcomed to the sight of Tatsumi, who was sitting on top of his bed with his legs crossed. Inbetween his legs was one of the books that she had left on his table a few days ago to read.

"Enjoying yourself, Tatsumi?" Esdeath called out as three maids quickly moved past her and placed the large platters of food onto the table that was on Esdeath's left.

Looking up at her, Tatsumi gave her a nod in response.

He didn't know what mood Esdeath was in at the moment, so he assumed it was best for him to answer with just a simple answer.

"That's good to hear," Esdeath said with a smile as she made her way to the entrance of his cell. As she did this, the three maids who accompanied her quickly exited the room and closed the door behind them. Esdeath's orders for them were simple, and they were to deliver food and then leave the room immediately. "so what book are you reading?"

"... The Legendary Moonlight Sculptor." Tatsumi answered in a low tone as Esdeath unlocked the door and entered it. He tensed a little upon her entering due to him fearing the chance of getting hit for no reason like he did in the past.

Esdeath had seen him tense up, but prevented herself from smiling any further. She had to look like his friend now, not his torturer. She needed to ease his mind.

Sitting down on the edge of the bed, a few feet away from him, she said to him. "It's a good book. I'm not one for romance, but its war scenes are pretty well written in my opinion. I feel the author depicts war rather well."

"Yeah, they were." Tatsumi said with a small nod. He believed what happened earlier this morning was nothing, but a trick. An illusion to get him to lower his guard, but for some strange reason, he couldn't help from feeling like Esdeath was being genuine with him at the moment.

The atmosphere between them felt pleasant.

After a couple seconds of silence, Esdeath got up from her spot and spoke again. "Well, shall we eat? I have a few things to discuss with you that might pique your interest, and not to mention, I'm starving."

As she said this, she held out her hand.

She was offering to help him get out of bed.

Tatsumi stared a the pale hand for several seconds. A part of him was telling him that he was being played, and that she was trying to deceive him, but that wasn't enough.

It wasn't enough to stop him placing the book down on the bed next to him and grabbing ahold of her hand.

With his hand in her hand, Esdeath helped him out of the bed and guided him outside of his cell.

For a second, Tatsumi had hesitated and feared that if he stepped outside of his cell, then Esdeath would for sure attack him, but the general had expected this and gave him a small tug forward.

Once outside of his room, Esdeath led him over to the table where she usually dined at.

"You can sit wherever you want, Tatsumi." She said as she let go of his hand and took her place at the end of the table, where she usually sat when eating.

After looking at the five remaining seats, the brown-haired male took his seat right next to her. The reason why was because he believed it was better for him to sit closer to her rather than away from her.

Esdeath smiled slightly upon seeing him sit next to her.

 _"I was actually okay with him sitting wherever he wanted, but this is good. I'm fine with this."_

A silence had filled the room, but the silence wasn't a long one, for Esdeath broke it. "Well, shall we see what the chefs of the palace made us, Tatsumi?"

"... Yes." He answered with a small nod after a couple seconds of hesitation.

Deciding that she would talk about his hesitation to respond later, Esdeath pulled one of the platters closer to her and lifted the cloche off of it.

Tatsumi did the same thing to the platter that was close to him, but unlike Esdeath, he wasn't greeted by the sight of all sorts of breakfast food. No, underneath the cloche he removed ther was silverware, plates, glasses, and a few bottles of wine. He had frowned slightly upon seeing this sight, but this did answer the question that was on his mind about how they planned on eating.

Seeing the plates, Esdeath said to him. "So that's where the plates were... Do you mind handing me a set?"

Tatsumi nodded in response and gave her a plate along with a fork, knife, and glass.

"Thank you." Esdeath stated with a smile.

After being given these things, Tatsumi watched in silence as she made her plate. The atmosphere for him felt a little weird, but it was okay so far. Still, he couldn't help from being a little tense.

Once she was done making her plate, she slid the large plater full of food over to him while saying, "Mind handing me one of the bottles?"

Tatsumi, of course, complied and quickly picked up one of the bottles of wine and handed it over to her.

As she opened the bottle she was handed, she noticed that Tatsumi had yet to put any food on his plate.

"What's wrong?" She asked with a look of concern. "Do you not like the food?"

"... No, I'm just a little nervous." Tatsumi confessed, why he felt nervous was because this was the first time he was sitting down and eating with her. He had eaten food in front of her in the past, but this was the first time she was eating with him, at least from what he was able to remember.

"Hey," Esdeath replied as she placed her hand on top of his causing him to flinch. "there's no reason for you to be nervous, I promise nothing's going to happen to you, so eat to your heart's content."

Finding peace in her words, Tatsumi started to make his plate. As he did this, Esdeath poured wine into his glass as well.

Once he was finished putting food on his plate, he saw that Esdeath had begun to eat.

Deciding that it was truly okay for him to eat, Tatsumi picked up his silverware and started to eat as well.

The two of them ate in silence for some time, but eventually, Esdeath broke the silence by saying to him. "Your brother is in the country, Tatsumi."

Tatsumi, who was about to place the slice of meat that he cut off in his mouth, froze completely.

 _"Numa's here?"_ He said to himself as his hands started to shake. _"What's he doing here? He's supposed to be in Espera!"_

Wiping her mouth with the napkin that she had placed on her lap earlier, Esdeath continued. "He's apparently met with the Revolutionary Army, which has upset the Prime Minister, so he wants me to go kill him, but you shouldn't worry Tatsumi for I have no intention of attacking your brother."

"... You don't?" Tatsumi asked after several seconds, a part of him felt like she was lying, but when he looked at her, he wasn't able to find any traces of deceit on her face.

"Mhm, because I know it would sadden you greatly." She said as her lips curved upwards. The smile she gave him was one of caring, and had made Tatsumi's heart beat a little faster.

Looking away, and setting down the fork and knife in his hands, he said in a low tone. "Thank you, but why do this for me?"

Esdeath didn't say anything at first, she just grabbed ahold of the hand that she had grabbed earlier.

Feeling her touch, Tatsumi slowly looked back at her. The expression that was written on her face wasn't one of malice or amusement that he was used to seeing it was one of care and love.

"Because I care deeply for you, and I don't want you to be sad." Esdeath declared as she squeezed his hand. It wasn't enough to cause him any pain or discomfort it was just enough to let him know that she was being serious.

Tatsumi's mind upon hearing this started to run rampant.

He didn't know if she was being honest or not, but the one thing he did know was that tears were starting to take form.

Quickly diverting his attention away from her and rubbing his eyes, he said to her. "Thanks..."

"It's no big deal," Esdeath said with a smile that he didn't see. "all you need to do is stay by my side, and I'll keep you and your loved ones safe. Trust me, Tatsumi."

Tatsumi didn't say anything in response. He didn't know what to say, and he was right now focusing on why he felt happy at the moment.

* * *

Ieyasu released a blissful sigh as he guarded mine.

"The moon looks pretty beautiful, don't you think?" He said aloud as he stared up at the moon with his Imperial Arm resting on his shoulder.

"I'm trying to concentrate here." Came Mine's response in a curt tone.

Ieyasu rolled his eyes upon hearing this. It was his first assignment, and had assumed that he was going to attacking the estate with Akame, Sheele, and Bulat, but instead, he was assigned to protecting Mine, and making sure no one got the drop on her.

 _"Snipers..."_ He said to himself as he glanced at her real quick. _"All they think about is concentration and the mission. They never think about the things around them..."_

This wasn't the first time he had stood on watch or guarded someone like this, in fact, Ieyasu had done this countless times in the past even when he wasn't a part of the Revolutionary Army.

As he continued to stand guard, Mine mumbled quietly to herself.

He didn't understand what she was saying due to how low she was speaking, but assumed she was talking about elevation, wind, and many other things that you need to take account of when shooting someone from afar.

Eventually, she stopped speaking to herself and not long after she did this, the sound of a gun firing entered Ieyasu's ears.

Looking over his shoulder again, Ieyasu watched as she turned the gun slightly and shot again.

"... Did you get them?" He asked with curiosity in his voice. Because he didn't have binoculars he couldn't tell if she hit her targets, but he had assumed that she did due to the fact that she didn't fire any more shots.

"Of course I got them," Mine affirmed with pride in her voice as she looked over her shoulder at him. "I'm a genius."

Ieyasu gave her a weird and doubtful look upon hearing the genius part.

"What's with that look?" Mine questioned as she got up off of the ground. She had a glare was written on her face.

"Nothing." Ieyasu quickly replied as the look he had given her vanished completely. "Anyways, I'm guessing our job is done now? You don't have to shoot anyone else?"

"No, now we change positions. Seriously, I don't know why the boss sent you on this mission." Mine stated before running away, leaving Ieyasu behind.

The black haired male released a sigh, and said aloud. "You know, I don't know why she sent me on this mission either. I thought my job was to fuck shit up, not babysit a girl who calls herself a genius."

* * *

Upon Chelsea finishing her report, Najenda couldn't help from releasing a sigh.

These upcoming weeks were going to be long, very long.

* * *

 **(Revan's AN): I was planning on making this a long chapter, by that I mean make it around maybe 7-9k words, but to be honest I was tired and decided to split this up. I know, I probably shouldn't do that, but it can't be helped. The next chapter might be a shorter one, it might actually be another time skip. I honestly don't know because it depends on the mood I'm in. Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, and I'll see you all later.**

 **Link to the discord server:** discord .gg/ uDxVym8

 **Oh, and I just wanna say, I think I did a great job with this chapter's Esdeath and Tatsumi scenes, but that might just be me! Like for real, I think I wrote it excellently, anyways I'm going to go now for real this time and stop making word count bigger, so that I can get closer to 80k words. Okie, goodbye guys see ya in the next chapter.**


	21. A Walk Through The Garden

**(Revan's AN): I hope you all enjoy this chapter.**

 **Full Summary:** Tatsumi Seika, the second son of Kaito Seika, was a rebellious child. Unlike his siblings, he didn't care about the duties of a prince, and after being told that he was going to marry some noblewoman, he ran away from home. Now, after five years of being away, Tatsumi has finally returned.

 **Non-canon, single-pairing, OOC Characters.**

* * *

 _"Flashbacks" -_ **Thinking**

"Flashbacks" - _**Talking**_

 _[Flashbacks]_ **\- Letters or Reports.**

 **Theme Song: Rise, by The Glitch Mob, Mako, and The Word Alive.**

 **Main Writer:** Revan the Edgelord

 **Co-Writer:** None.

* * *

"Hey Bartender!" Jericho called out in a drunken manner causing the man who was standing behind the bar to look at him. "Give me another drink, will ya?"

The man furrowed his brows upon hearing the request, but nonetheless, complied. A small part of him believed that he had drunk too much, but because he had seen the man have a lot of golden coins in his purse, he decided to overlook this and make him another drink.

As the bartender was making the drink, Jericho lowered his head a little to hide his facial features and began to listen to the conversations that were going on around him.

The bar's usual customers were members of the Imperial Guard, so this was one of the best spots for him to gather information as well as make some friends.

What he was listening for was mostly information on The Great General Budo and Esdeath's bodyguards, the Three Beasts.

Why he was looking for information on them and not Genera Esdeath was simple really. If they were going to rescue Numa's brother, Tatsumi, then they first needed to do deal with them.

Esdeath, of course, was an obstacle that needed to be dealt with as well, but Najenda believed that it was best for them to wait for her to leave the palace before launching the mission.

Unlike them, Esdeath left the palace quite frequently, so if they could do it while Esdeath was away, then all they had to do really was take care of those four, and then everything would be golden.

"Did you hear what happened to Gregor?" One of the soldiers Jericho was eavesdropping on questioned.

"No, what happened?" Another soldier said in response. His voice was slightly deeper than the first man's voice.

"Apparently, Cortez caught him sleeping with the Minister's wife." The first soldier declared earning a gasp from his comrade. "It was uh... Fuck I don't remember his-oh! Now, I remember. It was Minister Dousen's wife!"

"Damn, so what happened-"

Deciding that the conversation was unimportant, Jericho stopped listening in on their conversation and began to listen to other people's conversations once again.

Right when he did this, the bartender came over to where he was sitting and placed his drink down while saying to him. "Here you go, sir."

Jericho didn't respond with words, he instead he responded by placing the money he owed for the drink onto the counter.

After checking to make sure Jericho paid the right amount, the bartender walked off. He had other customers to serve.

Not long after the bartender gave him his drink did Jericho chug it down. The glass was a small glass, so it took him little effort to do this.

Upon completion, Jericho released a sigh of pure bliss, for there was nothing better in this word than alcohol.

As time passed on, he continued to eavesdrop onto the soldiers' conversations, none of them retaining any information he deemed useful really. Although, it was good to hear what was going on in the palace, and who did what, for he could approach these people with this type of information, and get something out of them.

Deciding that he had heard enough, Jericho pushed himself and his stool back and stood up, however upon turning around he was greeted by the sight of a woman with long dark red hair that covered her right eye and went past her shoulders. Like the Imperial Guards, the woman wore a uniform, but hers was just a little bit different.

 _"An officer."_ He said to himself as his eyes moved downwards only to see her bountiful breasts. _"And a hot one at that."_

She was a little taken back by him suddenly getting up, but that didn't stop her from greeting him. "What's a man like you doing in a place like this? Are you perhaps looking for work?"

"Depends on the work." Jericho replied in a cool manner as he took a step forward. He may have had too much to drink, but with age comes experience, and with experience comes wisdom which meant he knew how to handle being drunk.

Seeing that she had his attention, the woman said to him. "So you sell your body?"

"... Only to certain people." He said in response after a while, a roguelike smile appearing on his face as he said this.

"Oh really?" She said with a nod as she took a step forward, closing the small distance between the two of them. Her breasts weren't completely pushed up against his chest, but he felt them nonetheless. "And what would it take for me to acquire your body for the night?"

"For you? I'd give you it for free." Jericho stated coolly as he placed his hand on her chin.

At this, the woman laughed. "I like you, let's take this conversation somewhere else."

"Lead the way."

* * *

"What do you think about this one, my lady?" River questioned as he handed Esdeath the file that he just finished reading.

Taking the file and opening the folder, Esdeath said aloud. "Wave... Age, twenty-one, member of the Imperial Navy, wielder of the Imperial Arms called Grand Chariot."

She then continued reading about him in silence for a while, before breaking it by saying, "He looks promising."

"I agree, my lady. Not only do his comrades hold him in high regards, but even the Admiral of the Navy speaks highly of him." River stated in a serious tone.

Esdeath didn't say anything, for her attention drifted towards Tatsumi who was sitting on his bed reading a book again.

It had been a couple of days since they had breakfast together, and since then Tatsumi has started to become less and less nervous around her which was good, but she wanted to speed the process up a little. She wanted them to be closer.

"River, go tell the Prime Minister that these are the people I want for now and that tomorrow I'll finish deciding on who I want." Esdeath stated as she slid the folders of the soldiers she wanted and looked at the leader of her bodyguards.

"Understood, my lady. I will go at once." River replied with a nod before picking up the folders and walking away. On his way out he glanced over his shoulder and noticed that Esdeath was staring at Tatsumi.

 _"She's really taken a liking in him."_ He said to himself before exiting the room.

Esdeath had heard the door close, but that didn't stop her from observing the prince. As of lately, Esdeath had started to take note that she's been watching him more and more.

Feeling her gaze on him, Tatsumi stopped reading and looked up at her only to see her looking at him with her head resting on her right knuckles.

The two looked at one another in silence, but eventually it was broken by Tatsumi who had said to her. "Is everything alright, Esdeath?"

Esdeath at first was silent, but a grin did form upon her hearing the question. Had this been four weeks ago, Tatsumi would have most likely spoken to her in a rude tone, and ask why she was staring at him.

"Everything's alright. I'm just a little tired." Esdeath confessed in a slightly bored tone.

"I see..." Tatsumi replied, a tiny trace of nervousness in his voice.

He was still not comfortable being around Esdeath, but he did think their relationship was a decent one. After all, she hadn't starved him or beat him for a while now.

After a few seconds of awkward silence passed, Esdeath said to him. "Tatsumi..."

In which, he responded by saying, "Yes, Esdeath?"

"Would you like to go outside?" She questioned with a look of curiosity.

"Outside?" He said aloud with a small frown. "Can you explain what you mean by that?"

"I mean is there somewhere you'd like to go?" Esdeath stated as she got up out of her chair. "Within reason of course."

Tatsumi was silent as he pondered his options. He wasn't familiar with the palace at all due to him being locked up in her quarters, but he assumed that the palace was similar to the one he lived his childhood in.

"I don't know. The garden maybe?" He answered with a shrug after several seconds of contemplating.

"The Garden?" She repeated as she entered a thinking pose. She had visited the garden only a few times and those times were when was getting substances for her soon to be victims of torture. "We could go there. It has been some time since I've been there."

Now that she thought about it, it had actually been quite some time since she had been down in the dungeons. The majority of her time in the Capital as of lately has been in her room really. Of course, there would be the occasional time where she would go out and hunt, but even then she wouldn't be out for long.

 _"Maybe there is something more between us..."_ Esdeath said to herself as she unlocked his cell door. _"Not only has he seen me naked, but he's also stopped me from going down into the dungeons."_

After making a mental note about this, Esdeath started to find Tatsumi a little bit more interesting than before.

...

...

...

Upon arriving at the garden, Tatsumi couldn't help from releasing a small gasp. The garden was beautiful, and although he hated to admit this, but Tatsumi found the garden to be far more beautiful, than his mother's garden.

Hearing the gasp escape his lips, Esdeath gave him a look, and said, "Is everything alright, Tatsumi?"

"Everything's fine." He affirmed after a few seconds of silence. "I just didn't expect this place to be so, _pretty_."

Esdeath, who was unsure what to say in response, said to him. "What makes this pretty, Tatsumi?"

As Tatsumi cast her a glance, he replied. "Everything about it. The palace's walls make the place look ancient, the different kinds of flowers brighten the place up, and the hue of the sun adds color. I don't enjoy many things, but seeing things like this does put a smile on my face."

With that said, Tatsumi's gaze returned to the scene before him.

Esdeath at first didn't say anything, but when she looked at him again, she noticed that Tatsumi's lips were curved slightly upwards. He didn't have a massive grin on his face, but it was big enough to where she was able to see.

"Let's roam the garden, Tatsumi." Esdeath stated as she held out her arm for him to take.

Tatsumi gazed at her for a couple of seconds, but eventually, he wrapped his arm around her's, and said to her. "If you want. Although, I must apologize in advance, there are some flowers here that I have not seen before, so there might not be some I can name."

"There is nothing to apologize for." She said with a smile as she began to lead him down the stone pathway. "I know every flower in this garden, and what they can do and what they can't do."

Tatsumi was taken back by this statement.

"Really? I didn't know you were into flowers." He said with surprise evident in his voice.

"The flowers in here are very useful, Tatsumi." Esdeath declared as came to a stop, which caused Tatsumi to come to a stop as well. "Take that flower over there."

The one she gestured to was one that had four petals the color of Esdeath's hair, and three yellowy anthers. "That flower might look pretty, but if used correctly it could cause someone an extreme amount of pain."

Although he was hesitant to ask, Tatsumi spoke what's on his mind. "How do you know about this, Esdeath?"

"It's one of the few poisons I use in torturing." Came her reply in a nonchalant manner before resuming their walk. "There are times where I don't have the luxury of taking my time, so I use it to speed up the process."

"I-I see..." Tatsumi hesitantly said in response. For a moment there he had forgotten that the woman he was walking with was General Esdeath.

Noticing that he sounded troubled, Esdeath decided to steer the discussion away from where it was going and fast. "You know, you're a lot different than what you were to me several weeks ago, right?"

With confusion in his voice, Tatsumi said, "Um, what?"

"I mean my original views on you have changed quite tremendously, Tatsumi." Esdeath stated with traces of amusement in her voice. "Since we've arrived here, I have yet to go down to the dungeons, and that reason why is because of _you_ , Tatsumi. I've been so focused on you that I have yet to enter them."

Tatsumi wasn't sure how to respond to this, so instead of replying, Tatsumi chose to stay silent.

Taking his silence as his reply, Esdeath continued to speak. "You're an important person to me Tatsumi, and I care about you a lot. I know there are times where it doesn't look like it, but trust me, I treat far more differently than everyone else."

"... Why do you consider me an important person to you, Esdeath?" Tatsumi asked after a few seconds of digesting this information. He didn't understand this at all, not one bit, for they were once enemies.

"That..." Esdeath started as her expression changed to one of thought. "That is something even I still don't understand, and am trying to figure out."

"I see..." Tatsumi said in response.

"Just stay by my side, Tatsumi." Esdeath stated as she placed her free hand on top of his arm. "If you do that, no harm shall ever come to you again."

* * *

Upon arriving at Night-Raid's hideout, Theo released a yawn.

He had been traveling for quite some time, alongside Takeo and would have arrived at Night-Raid's base sooner had it not been raining heavily, but they had finally arrived at their destination.

"The Boss will most likely want to see you guys." Bulat stated as Takeo dismounted from his horse.

"I'd be surprised if they didn't." Came Theo's response before dismounting off of his horse.

The reason why the two of them were here was because Numa didn't want to completely leave his brother's rescue in the hands of the Revolutionary Army, so a deal was struck.

The debate lasted for a while, but Numa eventually came out victorious and was able to convince Leon as well as the other leaders of the Revolutionary Army to allow them to assist in rescuing Tatsumi.

As the three approached the entrance of the hideout, Theo wondered how the hell they had yet to be discovered. The place wasn't exactly hidden, nor was it far from the Capital, in fact, before they had gotten off of the main road that led to the Capital City, they were able to see the city's walls, so the hideout wasn't that far from it.

With his interest now piqued, Theo said to the tall man. "How are you guys able to hide this close to the city without getting caught? Surely, the Empire must have sent squads out to search for your guys' whereabouts, right?"

"Actually, the Empire doesn't send its forces outside of the Capital at all really." Bulat confessed as the three of them reached the entrance of the hideout. "Because the Capital City is such a big place, the Empire's forces inside the city are spread thin. They can't really afford sending parties out to search for us due to this, so they just stay in the city."

"But isn't Esdeath's army in the Capital City right now?" Takeo questioned as he followed behind Theo and Bulat who had entered the base.

"Yeah, but this is most likely a temporary thing," Bulat said in response as he closed the door behind them and began to lead them to the meeting room where Najenda was. As they made their way there, the two newcomers glanced at Ieyasu who was looking at them with his weapon in hand. "Esdeath and her forces are more of a mobile force. They're never stationed at a place for long."

"Wouldn't that be a problem then?" Theo questioned as he shifted his attention back to the man who was leading them. "If Esdeath leaves the Capital, don't you think she'll take Tatsumi with her?"

"There is a chance that might happen, yes," Bulat admitted with a nod. "but the chance of that happening are low, and I doubt she even knows that we're planning on rescuing him."

Theo was still skeptical after hearing this. He may not know much about Tatsumi's situation, but he doubted Esdeath was going to let them take him from her.

The remaining of their walk was traveling in silence, and upon reaching their destination, Theo and Takeo were welcomed by the sight of several people who they assumed to be members of Night-Raid.

"Welcome to Night-Raid's base." The silver-haired haired woman greeted as Bulat closed the door behind the two of them and made his way to his chair. She had a grin on her face. "I'm Najenda, leader of Night-Raid."

Theo gave Takeo a look before responding. "Pleasure to make your acquaintance. I'm Theo and this is Takeo, we'll be assisting you guys in rescuing Tatsumi, so let's get along shall we?"

* * *

 **(Revan's AN): And cut, I didn't want to do a long chapter, I wasn't feeling it this one, so I made a short one, some might not like this, but fuck em, the past four chapters have been like 4k plus, so this one can be a short one. Anyways, I don't have much to say, so I'll go now, I'll see you guys later.**

 **Link to the discord server:** discord .gg/ uDxVym8


	22. The Birth Of Two

**(Revan's AN): I probably could have posted this chapter on the 24th, but was preoccupied with life and laziness. If you want the short and simple, I was spending time with my love interest, you know getting closer with her, and instead of writing I decided to read some mangas. There were other things as well, but those were the things that I'd say were the main reasons why I didn't write at all.**

 **Full Summary:** Tatsumi Seika, the second son of Kaito Seika, was a rebellious child. Unlike his siblings, he didn't care about the duties of a prince, and after being told that he was going to marry some noblewoman, he ran away from home. Now, after five years of being away, Tatsumi has finally returned.

 **Non-canon, single-pairing, OOC Characters.**

* * *

 _"Flashbacks" -_ **Thinking**

"Flashbacks" - _**Talking**_

 _[Flashbacks]_ **\- Letters or Reports.**

 **Theme Song: Rise, by The Glitch Mob, Mako, and The Word Alive.**

 **Main Writer:** Revan the Edgelord

 **Co-Writer:** None.

* * *

Esdeath released a pure and unadulterated sigh of bliss as she walked back to her room. She had just gotten back from a long hunt, and now she was returning to see Tatsumi.

Days had passed since her walk in the garden with Tatsumi, and since then, their relationship has greatly improved. It was now only a matter of time before he began to fight for her.

After the walk in the garden, she began to start giving Tatsumi some freedom. It was nothing major like roaming the palace, or leaving the palace, but she had started letting him have free reign in her room.

Not long after that, Esdeath had started to allow him outside of his cell while she was away, of course she had reinforced the guards at her room before leaving, but that was because she didn't want to take any chances, at all. Sure, she may have began to trust him more, but there was still a small chance of him reverting back to his former self, and attempting to escape the palace.

And because of him not trying anything, she started to reward him more.

The rewards were nothing major in her eyes, but to him, they were great. For example, being able to go to the palace's library or garden was a reward he deemed great, at least from what she believed. However, Tatsumi wasn't able to go them by himself yet. He had to be escorted to these places by one of her Three Beasts, and twenty-four members of the Imperial Guard.

Why he had to be escorted wasn't really because she believed that he would attempt something, it was because of the Great General, Budo.

Budo didn't approve of Tatsumi being in the palace; especially in the upper levels of it. He still considered Tatsumi to be an enemy of the Empire, and had claimed him to be a snake waiting for the opportunity to strike.

This annoyed Esdeath; because she knew that she broke Tatsumi, but she wasn't going to let his words affect her. Instead, she was going to continue what she was doing, and that was making Tatsumi her's.

As she released another sigh of bliss, the two guards who stood watch outside of her room opened the door for her.

A small smirk formed on her face as she entered the room. After doing this, the two guards immediately closed the door behind her. Before Esdeath had entered the room, she had heard the sound of the shower running, which meant Tatsumi was currently showering.

With an idea popping inside of her head, Esdeath began to undress. It didn't take her long to get out of her uniform, and she didn't bother picking up her clothes, for Tatsumi was going to be able to do it soon.

Before making her way to the bathroom, Esdeath went to the cabinet that was next to the door and grabbed one of the white towels inside of it.

Once she acquired her towel, Esdeath quietly opened the door, and slipped in as well closed the said door behind her.

Upon closing the door, Esdeath noticed that her heart started to beat a little faster which was something that hasn't happened for quite some time. The last time her heart beated this fast was when she fought Tatsumi.

She could see his figure through the foggy glass and was able to tell that his back was facing her due to his stance.

Her lips curved slightly upwards as she watched him for a while. It amazed her how he didn't seem to notice her, but there had been a few times in the past where he didn't hear what she said, but that due to him being in deep thought, so she assumed this was one of those times.

Setting her towel down on the countertop next to Tatsumi's, Esdeath slowly and delicately approached the glass door of the shower.

Her cheeks became slightly red upon reaching it. She wondered what kind of reaction he would make upon him seeing her.

With anticipation and excitement surging through her body, Esdeath grabbed ahold of the handle and carefully pulled it open.

Upon opening it, she was welcomed to the sight of his scarred and well toned back. His buttocks were also well toned along with his thighs and calves which for some reason made Esdeath feel a little weird.

His hands were currently on top of his head, and his hair was full of soap. Again, she was amazed at how he didn't seem to pick her presence, but this just excited her even more.

Placing one foot onto the wet tiles, she entered the shower.

Once both of her feet were on the wet tiles, she closed the shower's door in a not so subtle way, which made Tatsumi jump out of startlement.

Turning around, Tatsumi looked to see who entered the shower only to shout in surprise. "Esdea-agh!"

Soap had managed to get into his right eye making him turn back around and tilt his head slightly so that he could wash it.

Esdeath started to laugh upon witnessing this. The reaction was perfect, but the unexpected soap in his eyes was what killed it.

"Is something the matter, Tatsumi?" Esdeath asked as she approached him, her body now getting hit by the falling water.

"Y-Yeah..." He answered as he continued to let the water cleanse his eye that the soap managed to get into. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm about to get a shower, isn't it obvious?" Esdeath stated as she pressed herself against him that way her entire body was getting wet.

"Couldn't you wait!?" He questioned, his cheeks becoming slightly red upon feeling her breasts touch his back. He understood that this was her shower, and that she had been out hunting all day, so it was understandable for her wanting to get a shower, but barging in here without his consent was wrong.

"I don't see why I should." Esdeath said in response while wrapping her arms around his waist to prevent them from possibly falling. "You have seen me naked plentiful times, so I don't see the problem with me seeing you naked. Not to mention I've practically already seen every nook and cranny of you."

"Yeah, but still..." Tatsumi rebutted in a weak manner. He didn't know why, but he felt like this was wrong and something they shouldn't be doing.

" _Relax Tatsumi~_." She whispered coolly into his which did the exact opposite and made his muscles stiffen. "We're both simply getting a shower nothing more, nothing less."

Although it was very difficult for him, Tatsumi did relax a little.

 _"Good."_ Esdeath said with a smirk.

The two stood there for a while, neither of them saying anything during this time, but eventually, Esdeath broke it.

"Do you still feel pain here?"

As she asked this, she placed her index finger on top of one of the many scars on his back and lightly pressed on it.

"... No, not really." Tatsumi confessed after a few seconds. He wouldn't lie to himself, the position they were in was weird, very weird, but he didn't dare voice his thoughts out of fear of possibly angering her. He believed it was highly unlikely, but there was still a small chance, and he didn't want to face her wrath.

Esdeath didn't say anything at first. Instead, she gently ran her finger down each, and every single scar of his on his back before saying, "I think they suit you, Tatsumi."

Tatsumi was silent, for he was speechless. He wasn't sure what to say, and that was because he had received the scars for defying her, so he didn't know how to reply.

Detaching herself from him, Esdeath moved away and grabbed ahold of the bar of soap that was on the soap holder.

"Let me wash you, Tatsumi." She said as she moved back to her previous position.

Not knowing how to respond, Tatsumi simply said to her. "Okay."

With his permission, Esdeath began to rub the bar of soap against Tatsumi's back. She also began to hum softly.

Tatsumi's cheeks became even redder upon her touching his buttocks. They were already red due to her touching him, but this was what caused them to become dark red.

"As she moved further south, Tatsumi said in a loud and clear voice. "I can wash my legs and chest. There is no need for you to wash me any further."

"Oh?" Esdeath replied, traces of amusement in her voice. "But I had asked to wash you, and you were okay with it, so why the sudden change, Tatsumi?"

"Because this is something only lovers do..." Tatsumi responded in a tone that sounded like he was embarrassed.

"But aren't we practically lovers, Tatsumi?" Esdeath questioned as she straightened herself and placed her head on his right shoulder and began to rub his upper arms. "We eat together, sleep in the same room, and now are showering with one another. From my perspective, we look like lovers."

"... There are more things to that, and you know that..." Tatsumi replied, his face still flushed red.

"Are there?" Esdeath asked, curiosity seeping into her face.

"Yes..." He answered with a small nod. He was hoping she would understand this and stop what she was doing immediately, but so far she hadn't ceased what she was doing.

Esdeath hummed softly as she continued to wash his arms. She wasn't familiar with the feeling called love, but she was sure she had this feeling towards Tatsumi, so she wanted to experience more of it, for when she was around him, she felt, _happy_.

Deciding to converse more about what 'lovers' do, Esdeath let go of him and said, "You have two minutes to finish washing yourself, and then you need to get out."

Not saying in response, Tatsumi simply took the bar of soap that she held out for him and began to wash the rest of his body as fast as he possibly could.

Once he had finished washing, he exited the shower, and started to dry off, leaving Esdeath alone in the shower.

Moving a little closer to the showerhead, Esdeath tilted her head back slightly, and said to herself. _"I want to experience this feeling more, Tatsumi."_

* * *

Agni opened his mouth and let out a yawn of boredom.

He was a man in his late twenties, with dark orange hair, and brown eyes. He stood at the height five eleven, and had a muscular build due to him being a former member of the Imperial Army. His attire consisted of a black suit with a white dress shirt underneath, and a black tie.

Holstered to his waist was a pistol.

"I really regret opening my mouth about Jenkins..." He said aloud with a frown.

He had caught him comrade, Jenkins, sleeping on the job like usual, so he had reported it to his boss and was expecting the man to get punished, but instead of Jenkins getting punished, it was him who got punished. The reason why was because he snitched on Jenkins.

Which was why he was currently standing on top of the building by himself while everyone, including Jenkins, was downstairs enjoying some of their merchandise.

After looking around, Agni released another yawn.

"God I fucking hate this!" He practically yelled while yawning.

"Should have never opened your mouth then." Came a masculine voice causing the ginger to jump and emit a ( _wo)_ manly shriek.

Turning around and placing his right hand on the gun that was strapped to his waist, Agni was greeted by the sight of a man who instantly raised his hands, signifying that he wasn't a hostile and not going to try anything. The man was bald, had grey eyes, and wore the exact same clothing as Agni.

Seeing who it was, Agni relaxed and said to the man. "Don't fucking do that Appo, I almost had a heart attack and killed you there."

"My apologies, I didn't think you'd get scared like that." Appo replied with laughter in his voice as he approached the man.

"What are you even doing here?" Agni questioned as he turned around to resume being on lookout.

"I just got relieved, so I thought I'd check up on you before heading downstairs and getting me a lady~." Appo answered as he came to a stop next to him.

"Are you serious!?" Agni shouted, rage seeping into his voice.

"Yep!" He cheerfully answered with a smile.

"That's fucking bullshit!" Agni yelled as he slammed his fists against his thighs. "I've been sitting up here for the past three hours in the cold doing nothing, but keeping watch for Night-Raid and everything else and you're telling me that you get to... To..."

After feeling something pierce the back of his neck, he started to lose the strength to speak. Looking to his right, he noticed that Appo's arm was stretched out behind his back.

"Wha..." Was all he could utter before stumbling forward and tripping over the wooden railing.

As the man fell off the balcony and onto the rooftop tiles below white smoke appeared all around Appo, it prevented anyone or anything from seeing him. Once the smoke had vanished, a redhead with a lollipop in her mouth named Chelsea was standing where he once was.

"I'm sure no one heard that." Chelsea said aloud with a wave of her hand as she walked away. Her part of the mission was over. It was now Leone, Akame, and Lubbock's part of the mission and the fact that she could hear men, women, and music from where she was assured her that the chances of someone hearing the man crashing onto the roof was very low.

As she made her way inside, Chelsea began to wonder how the other Night-Raid group was doing.

* * *

"Knock knock, anyone home!?" Ieyasu shouted as he hit the large and reinforced doors with his Imperial Arm, Rukt.

The power in the attack caused the fort's doors to go flying off of the large hinges and into the fort. A few of the people inside of the fort were splattered and killed by the flying doors.

With their entrance made Ieyasu, Jericho, Bulat, and Susanoo entered the fort.

The fort was small compared to the other forts that surrounded the Capital City, and could only hold around five hundred men. It was currently being occupied by a bandit group known as the Glittering Dragons, a group that Night-Raid originally didn't have any problems with due to them targeting Imperial convoys only.

As time progressed though, the Glittering Dragons grew larger and larger every day and unfortunately started to attack towns and villages that were in the area, which was why Night-Raid was attacking their stronghold.

Upon the four members of Night-Raid entering the fort, they were welcomed to the sight of dozens upon dozens of men who were armed to the teeth.

"Looks like somebody is home..." Jericho said in voice that only reached his group's ears as his eyes moved from one bandit to another.

"So it seems." Bulat stated as his lips curved slightly upward. No one could see this smile though because he had activated his Imperial Arm, Incursio.

"Their colors and armor don't match at all. That shoulder piece doesn't doesn't go well at all with that chest piece and his boots don't match his pants' color scheme." Susanoo stated with a frown as he glared at one of the bandits who was wearing random sets of armor and clothing.

Ieyasu may not have commented like his teammates, but a smirk did manifest on his face. He hadn't really gotten a chance to show his comrades the power of his Imperial Arm, so he was kind of looking forward to revealing it to them. Of course, almost everyone who's a part of the Revolutionary Army has already heard about it, but hearing things and seeing things were two completely different things.

As the two groups continued to stare at one another, a few members of the Glittering Dragons started to tense up. Everyone who lived near the Capital City knew about Night-Raid, and how they were very deadly, so they couldn't help from feeling a little trepidatious.

Eventually, the staredown between both parties was broken by one of the bandits who yelled. "Kill them!"

With the command given, the bandits charged at the four men while releasing war cries.

As they moved towards them, Ieyasu ran forward and started to raise his warhammer above his head.

His target was the ground.

"Landfall!" He shouted at the top of his lungs as he brought the hammer down.

Upon it hitting the ground a booming noise was heard along with a shockwave that surged from the place Ieyasu hit. However, the shockwave went only in one direction. It went toward the bandits.

Bulat, Susanoo, and Jericho watched as the charging men were flung up into the air, a few of them who were in the back of the group had came to a stop upon seeing their comrades go flying, but they weren't able to avoid the shockwave and were launched into the air as well.

As they landed they released screams, some of those screams were abruptly cut off by the sound of bones breaking, while some turned into painfilled grunts. One of the bandits was unfortunate, and landed directly in front of Ieyasu.

Unaware that he landed right in front of him, the man rubbed his head as he began to get up, but stopped what he was doing upon seeing the pair of legs before him. Slowly lifting his eyes upwards, he saw Ieyasu who had Rukt resting on his shoulder, a smirk was written on his face.

"Mer-"

"No mercy for the wicked." Ieyasu coldly interrupted as he easily lifted the massive hammer off his should and caught the upper part of the shaft with his free hand. "You shall not trouble the innocent any longer."

With that said, Ieyasu brought the weapon down on him as he began to plead.

He was quickly silenced.

Some of the bandits who had seen their comrade's head get reduced to nothing, but paste had put their hands over their mouths and resisted the urge to throw up. The sound of his head getting crushed was not a pleasant sound at all, and it didn't help that some of the man's brain matter and what not flew towards them.

The other bandits who were used to seeing terrible things like this couldn't help from forming a disgusted expression, but besides that, they did nothing else.

As Ieyasu lifted his weapon off of the ground, Bulat darted towards the outlaws with his spear like halberd in his right hand, for only a fool would wait for the enemy to recover fully.

Closing the distance between him and the closest brigand, Bulat grabbed ahold of Neuntote with his left hand and brought it back before swinging it like an axe.

The last thing the man saw before he had hit the ground was his own legs.

Steeling themselves once again for the fight with Night-Raid, the robbers retaliated. A handful of them began to attack Bulat while several of them moved towards Ieyasu who patiently waited for them to come with a smile still plastered to his face.

Jericho and Susanoo had yet to enter the fight, but after noticing a group that consisted of five bandits rushing towards them, Jericho said to the tall man. "Shall I take these guys?"

"If you don't want to, then I will deal with them." Susanoo answered as the group came closer and closer.

"You can deal with them. I need a drink." Jericho replied as he pulled out his flask that he kept underneath his dark gold sash.

"Understood." Susanoo acknowledged before intercepting the one leading the group who had leaped into the air with his sword above his head screaming, 'don't you look down on us!' at the top of his lungs.

The Imperial Arm didn't even pull out his weapon when he defended Jericho who leisurely took out his flask. Instead, he had caught the man with one arm and crushed his windpipe before taking his sword and tossing his body to the side. The sword was a longsword, but because Susanoo was the one wielding it, it looked like a toy in his hands.

The other four who had charged with the man had came to a stop upon seeing this, but quickly resolved themselves. If they let fear seize control of their hearts again, then they would die.

Deflecting the first attacker's attack, Susanoo moved forward while pushing the man past him causing him to stumble and impaled the second attacker who didn't see this coming at all. Not even bothering to pull the blade out, he then caught the third attacker's club and yanked it out of his hands before hitting the fourth attacker with it, which knocked him out cold.

Before he attacked the man who wielded the club, Susanoo whirled around and slammed the club against the first attacker. The power behind the blow didn't only knock the majority of the man's teeth out, it also broke the weapon.

As the outlaw fell to the ground, Susanoo turned back around only to see the final attacker ramming the blade he had used earlier into him.

"You should have killed me first, bitch." The outlaw said with a triumphant smile as he lodged the blade deeper into Susanoo's abdomen.

"You..." Susanoo started as his hands slowly moved towards the blade which made the man look up and see a very frustrated expression written on Susanoo's face.

"I'm going to have to patch that up now." Susanoo declared as he grabbed the blade and pulled it out of him while the man was still holding onto it.

"... What?" Was all the man could say in response.

As the blue haired warrior beat the snot out of the outlaw, Jericho noticed out of the corner of his eye a door that lead to the inner parts of the fort flung open and watched as reinforcements came charging out of it.

Deciding that it was his time to finally get involved, Jericho unsheathed his claymore and sprinted at the new arrivals.

A few of the bandits who weren't moving to assist their comrades had spotted the incoming swordsman and tried to alert their comrades of him, but it was too late. By the time they realized it, Jericho was on them.

The first man he had came across was too slow and had gotten decapitated by him as he moved past him. The second outlaw had seen him and attempted to block the incoming strike, but unfortunately was also slow and was split into from the head down.

As one of the outlaws shouted at some of the others to go assist their companions, Jericho began to trade blows with the rest. At first, it was one man, then it turned into, then three, and eventually got to the point where Jericho was fighting four people at once. However, even though they had him outnumbered, Jericho was able to fight the four of them without any difficulty.

He blocked blow after blow, and every time a fifth attacker came along, he would quickly dispatch one of the fighters and start trading attacks with the new bandit.

The fight between Night-Raid and the Glittering Dragons was a battle between quality and quantity, and the one who came out victorious was quality, for they had the high ground in practically everything.

* * *

Esdeath released a yawn as she extended her arms over her head.

It was late at night, and she was finally starting to feel tired. She would have gone to bed earlier, but because she wasn't feeling tired at all, she decided to read the reports of Night-Raid.

The people that she requested for this Teigu squad would be arriving within a week, which meant she had a week's time to research about Night-Raid and learn more about the weapons they wield, so that when her team arrives, she could begin hunting them down immediately.

Picking up the candle she used as her light souce, Esdeath blew on it. She then set it back down on her desk, and got out of her chair.

As she pushed her chair in, Esdeath looked over to where Tatsumi and stared at his motionless figure. He still slept in the cell, but that was only because there was nowhere else for him to sleep.

He had the blanket covering most of his body, but Esdeath could tell that he was wearing one of the sets clothing she had gotten him a couple days ago. She had gotten him some new outfits due to her finding his old one in poor condition. Of course, Tatsumi didn't want to part ways with his clothing, but he had little choice in the matter.

 _"I wonder if he's asleep."_ Esdeath said to herself as she approached the cell. His back was facing her, so she couldn't tell if he was awake or not, but she was pretty he was sleeping.

With her curiosity rising, Esdeath said to him. "Are you awake, Tatsumi?"

Tatsumi didn't respond for quite some time, which answered her question, but before she could walk away, she heard him say, "I am now."

Hearing his voice made her smile.

Walking over to the entrance of his cell, Esdeath opened it. It wasn't locked anymore, so it didn't take her any time to open it. She then entered the cell and approached Tatsumi whose eyes moved downwards to see her approaching him.

She was wearing her usual sleep attire which was nothing, but a long sleeve button up shirt, so it was kind of hard for him not to look at her thighs and nether region.

It was even hard for him to look up at her face once she was standing over him. Why? Well it was because she only had a few of the buttons buttoned up, and because there was only a few of them, Tatsumi was able to see a lot of skin as well as a little bit of her nipples. He had already seen them before in the past, but back then, he didn't pay much attention to them.

Now, he was trying his best not to look at them, and her sexuality.

The two stared at each other in silence, Esdeath's lips were still curved upwards, and Tatsumi's face was one of little emotion. Although, he did have a streak of red on it.

Eventually, Esdeath broke the silence, and said to him. "Get up."

He didn't say anything back. Instead, he complied and lifted the covers off of him and got up out of the bed. Her tone wasn't sweet, which caused him to believe that she was upset with him for not allowing her to wash all of his body earlier.

Once he was out of the bed, Esdeath took his right hand, and began to lead him outside of the cell.

As she led him out of it, she asked him. "Do you need to use the bathroom?"

"... No?" He answered with a bit of uncertainty in his voice. He didn't know what was going on, for she wasn't punishing him, but he had assumed that was going to be the case, so he kind of had no idea what was happening or going to happen.

After coming to a stop at the foot of Esdeath's massive bed, Esdeath turned around and with no warning whatsoever fell backwards, while pulling Tatsumi towards her.

This caused him to release a gasp of surprise, and as they fell Esdeath released a giggle. The surprised reaction that appeared on his face was amusing.

The position they had landed in was a precarious one with Tatsumi being on top of Esdeath and only inches away from her face.

"I-I'm sorry..." He apologized, his cheeks flushed red.

"There's nothing to apologize for, Tatsumi. I was the one who put you in this position." Esdeath said with a grin as she stared into his emerald green eyes.

"Still..." Tatsumi said with embarrassment as he diverted his eyes elsewhere. Because some of the moonlight was passing through the window, Esdeath's beauty amplified.

"Still?" Esdeath repeated with a trace of curiosity in her voice. "Still what, Tatsumi?"

"... Still, I shouldn't be on top of you." Tatsumi stated after a couple seconds, his eyes still diverted elsewhere.

"If I didn't want you on top of me, then you would not be there, Tatsumi." Esdeath declared in a serious tone.

"Esdeath..." Tatsumi started as he looked at her.

"I mean it, Tatsumi." She affirmed as her eyes narrowed slightly. "If I didn't want you to be in this bed with me, then I wouldn't have woken you up."

Deciding to steer the conversation in a different direction, he said to her. "Why do you want me here anyways?"

"Isn't it obvious?" She replied with a smile returning to her face. "To sleep with me of course."

"... What?" Tatsumi said in response after nearly a minute of staring at her with a blank look. He didn't know if it was because he was tired, but it sounded like she said, 'sleep with me' he could be wrong, but that's what he believed he heard.

"I want you to sleep with me, Tatsumi." Esdeath stated, her smile seemed to get a little bit bigger after saying this.

 _"So I had heard her correctly..."_ He said to himself as he stared at her in silence. He wasn't sure how he was supposed to respond to this sudden declaration, but he knew he had to respond fast.

 _"Wait, what does she mean by sleep with her? Does she just want me to lay in bed with her? Or is she wanting to do... That."_ Tatsumi asked himself after realizing that she could just be trying to get a rise out of him and make him think that she wanted to have sex.

Seeing that his expression changed to one of thought, Esdeath started to laugh. "Oh, Tatsumi when I said, 'I want you to sleep with me' were you perhaps thinking of something else and not just thinking that I wanted you to lie in same bed with me?"

"Uh..." Was the noise that left his mouth. He didn't want to say yes, but that was the truth. He did think she wanted to have sex.

"Answer honestly." Esdeath quickly added in order to prevent him from lying.

"Yes... I didn't know what you meant, and assumed that you meant something else entirely." He admitted as he closed his eyes and prepared himself for whatever was to come next.

Placing her right hand on his left cheek, Esdeath said to him. "You shouldn't be embarrassed about that. You are a male after all."

"Esde-" Began Tatsumi before releasing a gasp of surprise due to Esdeath flipping their positions. She was now on top of him.

Moving her right hand to his chest, Esdeath said with a grin that Tatsumi found to be a little sadistic. "However, if I was wanting to do _that_ , Tatsumi then I would be on top, for I am the dominant one and you're the dominated. Is that understood, Tatsumi?"

"Y-Yes." Tatsumi agreed with a nod of his head.

Satisfied with his answer, Esdeath climbed off of him and said, "Let us go to sleep now, Tatsumi."

With no words needing to be said, Tatsumi climbed under the covers with her. However, he didn't fall asleep for a good while.

...

...

...

Tatsumi couldn't help from frowning as he stared at Esdeath's sleeping face.

He had been up for quite some time, and instead of getting out of bed or waking Esdeath up, Tatsumi had decided to stare at her, for he had found himself conflicted upon waking up.

He had a dream, a dream that involved him and Esdeath, and in that dream, they had a kid, and the two of them were in love with one another. A part of him was happy about this dream, but another part of him wasn't. He found himself upset with himself.

 _"She's killed so many of my people, and yet I had a dream about me and her having a kid? What the fuck is wrong with me?"_ He asked himself as he narrowed his eyes and glared at Esdeath.

 _"She's different though, we're both different..."_ He said to himself as his gaze softened. _"We're not who we once were anymore. I should let go the past, and just move on."_

 _"No, we can't let go of this! She killed Naofumi, she beat us, she nearly starved us to death multiple times. There's no way we can forgive her for everything that she's done."_ He denied as anger began to swell inside of him.

 _"Esdeath's changed."_ He declared as that anger inside of him dispersed. _"If we just stay by her side, then everything will work out, we just need to be by her side."_

 _"What are we thinking?"_ He questioned as he shook his head side to side. _"Why do we think that everything will work out if I'm by her side? She's our enemy, she's killed thousands upon thousands of people just because she didn't like our answers to her questions! We need to kill her."_

 _"She's too powerful. We already tried to take her on and lost."_ He stated as his frown deepened. _"If we attack her again, then she'll punish us. If we try to leave her, then she'll punish us. If we stay by her side though, she won't punish us. She'll be happy and show us affection."_

 _"Stop these delusions and realize that Esdeath's happiness is none of our concern! What she wants shouldn't matter at all! The only woman's wants we should care for is Farah's! We love her, and we want to see her again, right?"_ Tatsumi asked himself.

 _"I do love her, and I would like to see her again, but if we leave Esdeath will follow. Our only choice is to stay by Esdeath's side. If we stay, then Esdeath won't harm Farah at all. She will be safe if we stay here."_ He replied with traces of sadness in his response.

 _"You're weak, and you're delusional."_ He said as he clenched his fists. _"Esdeath doesn't care about us at all. When will you wake up, and see the reality we live in?"_

 _"I have woken up."_ He said in response. _"It is you who have not woken up."_

The arguement inside of Tatsumi did not stop there, for Tatsumi's identity had split into two.

One of them wanted nothing, but vengeance on the woman who had done so many things to him, while the other wanted nothing, but to live at the said woman's side.

* * *

 **(Revan's AN): And cut. Man, I'd like to think what I did at the end was a good job, but that might just be me who thinks that. In all honesty, I don't know how split personalities and what not work, and I didn't bother looking it up either. To be honest, I got the idea off of SWTOR Shadow of Revan DLC where Revan basically split into two. ((He had a light side and a dark side of him.)) Anyways, I thought the idea was interesting, so it kind of inspired me to do it and have Tatsumi split into two, where one side wants to kill Esdeath, you know the one who isn't a little bitch, and the other one who is you know, a little bitch and wants to be by Esdeath's side. Alright, with that said, I'm going now, I hope you all enjoyed, and I'll see you guys in the next update.**

 **Link to the discord server:** discord .gg/ uDxVym8


	23. Confession In The Night

**(Revan's AN): I struggled in the first part, so apologies if the first scene is below average. With that said let's jump into the story.**

 **Full Summary:** Tatsumi Seika, the second son of Kaito Seika, was a rebellious child. Unlike his siblings, he didn't care about the duties of a prince, and after being told that he was going to marry some noblewoman, he ran away from home. Now, after five years of being away, Tatsumi has finally returned.

 **Non-canon, single-pairing, OOC Characters.**

* * *

 _"Flashbacks" -_ **Thinking**

"Flashbacks" - _**Talking**_

 _[Flashbacks]_ **\- Letters or Reports.**

 **Theme Song: Rise, by The Glitch Mob, Mako, and The Word Alive.**

 **Main Writer:** Revan the Edgelord

 **Co-Writer:** None.

* * *

Tatsumi silently stared his opponents down who in response stared back at him.

In his hands was his spear like staff that he wielded against Esdeath, she had confiscated it apparently after beating him and had been holding onto it for the time being until she felt like he was ready.

His attire, however, was different from when he had fought her. He no longer wore his black robes and armor. No, instead Tatsumi wore a trench coat that was made up with one of the strongest of Danger Beast hides, it was black on the outside, and brown on the inside with a brown trim. The coat's shoulders had studded leather on top of them, which was dark brown.

Strapped over his coat was a black and steel spaulder with black being the color of the harness and dark steel for the metal. The shoulder that was protected was his left. He wore over his hands a pair of black gloves that went up to his elbows. The material that was used to make the gloves was the same material used to make his coat. His knuckles had metal on top of them and were spiked which gave his punches a lethal ability.

Underneath his coat was a dark blue tunic. However, the material that was used to make it wasn't anything fancy. Instead, the material that was used to make it was ordinary cotton. The reason why was simple really because the coat was more suited for colder climates, it had to be countered to prevent the person who wore it from possibly having a heatstroke. He also wore around his neck red bandana to help conserve hydration.

He wore a brown belt above the dark blue tunic that had a few pouches attached to it, and had underneath this belt the red sash that was a part of his old attire. His trousers were brown and made up of standard materials as well, and had been tucked into his boots, which were reinforced boots.

His opponents were members of the Three Beasts. They were Daidara and Liver. Esdeath, of course, was overseeing this fight, for she wanted to see how Tatsumi would fare against two Imperial Arms users.

She would have had Nyau also join in, in the fight, but it had been far too long since Tatsumi wielded a weapon, so she wanted to go a little easy on him. Nonetheless, she believed Tatsumi would come out triumphant without a single scratch on him, for he had been able to take on her for a short amount of time and that was when she was fighting him seriously.

Deciding to start the sparring match, Esdeath said in a loud and clear voice. "You three may begin now, and remember to try not to kill each other. As much as I enjoy seeing warriors fight one another to the bitter end, I'd prefer if you three came out of this alive."

"Rest assure, my lady, we will not kill him." Liver declared as he unsheathed his sword and entered a guard stance. He had no intention of using his Imperial Arm yet, and knew he couldn't keep up with Tatsumi due to being old, so he planned on being on the defensive.

"Oh man, I'm going to get some major experience points from this!" Daidara yelled with glee as a smile formed on his face. Unlike Liver who wanted to err on the side of caution and fight defensively, Daidara wanted to do nothing, but to charge head-on at Tatsumi. However, he decided to wait for Tatsumi to move first, for he believed he would get more experience if Tatsumi had some more force behind his attack.

Tatsumi didn't say anything after being told they could begin fighting. At least, he didn't say anything aloud.

 _"Those two were there and had assisted in slaughtering our people. I think We should kill them."_ His personality that desired vengeance stated as the grip on his weapon tightened.

 _"Esdeath doesn't want us to kill each other, so we're not going to do that. We're just going to beat them, that's it."_ His other personality denied as his lips curved slightly downwards.

 _"I disagree with that."_ His vengeful personality rejected. _"They need to pay for what they did as well. Every single person who's a part of Esdeath's army needs to pay with their own life."_

Seeing that Tatsumi had yet to attack her subordinates, Esdeath frowned. She had assumed that he would attack them immediately, but instead, this was the sight she was seeing.

Thinking that the reason why he wasn't attacking was because he was afraid of possibly angering her, she called out to him. "Tatsumi, I want you to fight both Liver, and Daidara and I want you to knock them both out. Is that understood?"

After shaking his head, Tatsumi looked at her and gave her a nod of acknowledgment before returning his gaze on the two men who had yet to move from their positions. He had found his resolve finally and darted towards the two men.

Daidara grinned upon him doing this, and released a war cry as he rushed towards Tatsumi.

Liver yelled at the muscular warrior as the two came closer and closer to one another and tried to get him to stop charging, but Daidara didn't listen to him. He was too excited and ignored the old man.

Liver released an annoyed sigh before charging after him. However, he wasn't fast enough, for by the time he reached one-fourth of the way there, Daidara and Tatsumi clashed with one another.

Tatsumi had complete faith in his spear and caught the double-bladed ax with the shaft.

The Imperial Arm was called Belvaac, and increased the user's physical strength, which could allow the user a chance to cut swords in half if they were strong enough, but the shaft of Tatsumi's spear wasn't made by any normal materials that you would use to make a spear. Had it been, Belvaac would have easily cut through the weapon and split his skull open, but because it wasn't, Tatsumi was able to catch the ax's blade with no trouble whatsoever.

Daidara was a little taken back by this feat, but he didn't show it on his face. No, instead his grin widened.

"This is going to be awesome!" He cheerfully shouted as the two disengaged for a split second and then reengaged.

Tatsumi didn't say anything in response, but his eyes did narrow slightly. His vengeful personality hated that he was acting like this was game and wanted to let him know that this was real.

Unfortunately, he wasn't able to enact this idea, for not long when the opportunity had presented itself, Liver finally arrived and forced him to leap back and avoid his strike that would have possibly cut his arm off.

However, Tatsumi didn't stay in his position for long. No, he had immediately covered the small distance between them and had begun to attack both of them simultaneously.

Most people would be reluctant to fight two people at the same time, and would go on a defensive role, but Tatsumi wasn't like most people. He believed that it was better to go on the offense instead of defense.

Whenever Daidara or Liver had a chance to strike at him, he would evade their attack and use their comrade to his advantage by hiding behind them while attacking them. That way their comrade couldn't attack them as well due to them having to defend from his attacking.

As Tatsumi evaded Liver's downward slash, Esdeath called out to the three of them. "That's enough you three. You all can stop fighting now."

Hearing this caused the three to cease what they were doing and look at her only to see one of her soldiers standing next to her.

With their attention on her, Esdeath spoke again. "I had forgotten that the members of my new Imperial Arms squad were arriving today, and I have just been informed now that they arrived at the squad's headquarters, so we're going to go meet them now. Tatsumi, give Liver your spear."

Tatsumi in response looked at the old man who had also turned to face him. A part of him was reluctant to give the weapon up, but he nonetheless complied with her command and gave him the spear.

Esdeath, in truth, didn't care if Tatsumi held onto the weapon, but because Budo disliked Tatsumi and disapproved of him being inside the palace, she decided it was best if one of her Three Beasts held onto his weapon that way the old geezer couldn't yell at her over it, and demand to know why she was allowing him to walk around the palace with a spear in his hands. However, once they reached their new living quarters, she was going to have Liver give it back to him.

After all, Tatsumi was going to become her lover soon, and she couldn't allow her soon to be lover be defenseless.

...

...

...

Upon reaching their destination, Esdeath said to the Three Beasts and Tatsumi. "This is where we'll be staying now while we're in Capital City, I trust none of you have a problem with that?"

"No, my lady." The Three Beasts answered as Tatsumi shook his head from left to right.

Their new living place was practically a castle. It had stone walls that surrounded it, a moat with a drawbridge being the only way to cross it, and watchtowers on the walls. It was quite a distance away from the royal palace, but this didn't trouble Esdeath at all. If she was being honest with herself, she was actually quite thrilled that they weren't going to be living in the palace.

While the palace did come with many benefits, it also came with a lot of downsides, and one of these many downsides were the politicians who lived inside of it, for they all sought power and if they were able to gain control over just one of the Imperial Arms users that worked under Esdeath, then they would have a mighty trump card in their pocket, for Esdeath looked after her men.

However, Esdeath had no intentions of letting the members of the Imperial Court do that. She planned on keeping this new squad of hers away from the palace as much as she possibly could, at least for the time being. Once she had secured their complete and undying loyalty, then the politicians could attempt to dig their claws in them, but until then, she wanted to keep them out of the palace as much as she could.

Unfortunately, they were going to have to go back later on tonight, for the Emperor wanted to throw a party to celebrate the formation of this squad as well as meet the members who were going to be combating the group known as Night-Raid.

As the five of them crossed the drawbridge, Tatsumi said to himself. _"Our chances of escaping Esdeath have risen significantly. When we lived in the palace our chances were practically nonexistent due to the Imperial Guard and Esdeath, but now that Esdeath trusts us, our chances of getting away are much higher. This place doesn't have as many guards as the Imperial Palace does."_

 _"I thought you wanted to kill her, not run away from her?"_ His other personality asked as they finished crossing the wooden bridge.

 _"We're not the only ones who want Esdeath dead in this city."_ His vengeful personality declared as a ghost smile appeared on his face. _"The group that Esdeath begins hunting, Night-Raid, they can help us kill her. All we have to do is get in contact with them, and then she is as good as dead."_

 _"If you really believe that, then you're a fool."_ Came his other personality's response. _"Esdeath is without a doubt the strongest person in existence, and there is no way she can be killed in combat. If we do what you want, we'll only end up failing, and then she'll punish us again. I don't want to be punished. I like it when she shows us affection."_

"Tatsumi, did you hear me?" Came Esdeath's voice which made him snap out of the little world he was in.

"N-No, Esdeath." He answered after realizing that Esdeath was also looking over shoulder at him. "I was thinking about something, and I just kind of zoned out, I'm sorry."

"I see." Esdeath said in response after humming aloud. She was a little curious about what he was thinking about that caused him to not listen to her, but she had decided to have that conversation at a later. "Anyways, what I was saying was that after this meeting you'll be going to our bedroom, and wait for me to return later on tonight."

"Understood Esdeath." Tatsumi replied with a small nod of his head.

The rest of the trip to the meeting room was mostly traveled in silence. Of course, when they walked past the guards they greeted Esdeath, she greeted them back, but besides that, no words were exchanged with one another. The only time they had a conversation really was when Liver gave Tatsumi his spear back, for he had commented on its design.

Once they arrived in front of the meeting room, Esdeath pulled out a mask that she had somehow been hiding on her and equipped it.

"You four wait here." She said in a quiet tone that only they could hear. "I would like to test them."

"Understood, my lady." "Okay." Came the Three Beasts responses and Tatsumi's.

Opening the door slightly, Esdeath slipped through it before closing it behind her.

There was a silence that passed, but that silence was broken by what sounded like Esdeath shouting, which was then followed up by the sound of someone crashing into the door. The hinges on it had almost became unhinged which caused the four of them to look at the door as they heard more crashing noises come from within the room.

Eventually, the noises that came from within stopped, and Esdeath called out to the four of them.

"You all may enter now!" She said, her voice a little muffled due to them being outside of the room.

Not needing to be told a second time, Liver opened both of the doors for them and they were greeted by the sight of a slightly destroyed room with four people lying on the ground, three people standing, and one person sitting in a chair with his head resting on his hand.

The person who was standing the closest to Esdeath was a girl who looked to be in her teens. She had short black hair, and wore a black sailor's uniform along with a red belt that had a red side skirt cover. She also wore red gauntlets with long black socks and black shoes. In her right hand, sheathed, was a blade as well as a slightly large handbag.

The other person that was standing besides Esdeath and this girl was a man with blonde hair and golden eyes who looked to be a little older than Tatsumi. He wore a white robe on top of a black shirt and pants with a brown belt. He had feather pin behind his ear and a collar-like accessory on his neck. His attention had shifted from Esdeath to them upon them entering, and Tatsumi could easily tell that he was still on guard and ready to counter anyone who attacked him.

The only other person who wasn't on the ground was a man who looked like a scientist. He had spiky black hair with a patch of white in it and blue eyes. He wore glasses, and right in front of him on the table was a pair of gloves.

 _"He's someone I need to look out for..."_ Tatsumi said to himself as he stared at the man who was looking at him in return. _"For some reason, I feel like he's looking at me as his next test subject."_

 _"That young man, what I would do to get a night with him."_ The doctor said as he continued to gaze at Tatsumi. _"Mmm, mmm, what a lovely face he has."_

As the four people who were on the ground began to get up, Esdeath spoke. "I hope you all enjoyed this greeting as much as I did, and I hope you all learned something from it as well. Especially you, Wave."

Tatsumi in response to hearing looked at the man Esdeath was looking at.

He appeared to be a year older than Tatsumi, and had a cowlick like him as well. He had short dark blue hair that could be mistaken for black, and blue eyes that were slightly darker than the scientist that he was staring at earlier. Unlike everyone else, he appeared to be wearing casual clothing. He wore a blue leather jacket and a red scarf with an anchor on it along with a pair of grey jeans with a belt and dark blue boots.

"Oh, I learned something alright..." He said to himself in a not so quiet voice. "I learned not to get on your bad side."

At this Esdeath chuckled. "I think I might've used a little too much power in that kick..."

"You think?" He replied hysterically. "I felt like I was going to die there."

 _"You have no idea what's it like..."_ Tatsumi's vengeful side thought as his lips curved slightly downwards. _"We've had to experience her kicks and so much more for weeks on end, and you have the audacity to say that you felt like you were going to die there? She would beat us until we lose consciousness sometimes."_

"I definitely learned something, General Esdeath!" Spoke an auburn-haired girl who wore a green military uniform. She had metal arms which interested Tatsumi and a weird shaped dog standing next to her. "And I will be sure to work on the killing intent that I release that way I can deliver justice better!"

Esdeath smiled upon hearing this, and said to the girl. "I'm glad to hear that Seryu, and I look forward to seeing you deliver justice on the criminal group called Night-Raid."

"I'm not sure how useful I will be, but I will try my best General Esdeath." A tall and robust man stated who had a few scars on his chest and a mask that concealed his face.

"That is all I ask of you, Bols." Esdeath replied as she looked at the man, her lips still curved upwards. "As long as you do your best, then I'm sure we'll be able to put an end to Night-Raid."

"The only reason why I lost General Esdeath was because I wasn't trying." Declared the fourth person who Tatsumi found on the ground upon entering the room. "Had I been taking this seriously, then I would have for sure beaten you, and claimed the title of the Empire's Strongest."

The person was a man, a very young and cocky one at that. He looked to be around sixteen years old with short silver hair and hazel colored eyes. He wore a white officer's uniform that as well as a military cap that had a symbol of crossed sabers. He had a lip scar on the right side of his lip that went down to his chin as well a scar that Tatsumi could barely see on the inner side of his right forearm.

Esdeath at first didn't say anything, but Tatsumi was sure the temperature in the room dropped a few degrees.

"... If you want we could have a spar and see you fight me seriously, Elias." Esdeath stated, her voice was cold and practically held no emotions in it.

Realizing that he had messed up, the now named teen coughed into his hand and said in response. "Forgive me, General Esdeath. That claim was meant as a joke, I did not mean to cause offense, and know that you are without a doubt stronger than me."

Esdeath stared at Elias for several seconds, but eventually, her gaze softened and the temperature of the room returned to normal. "You shouldn't make those types of jokes, Elias. Especially to me, for I take those types as claims, and have no problem showing people how powerful I am."

"Understood, General Esdeath, I'll be sure to never say those types of jokes to you ever again." Elias quickly affirmed causing Nyau to chuckle and Daidara to snort in amusement.

"I wouldn't mind if he did make those types of jokes though." Came another male's voice that had a tinge of feminism in it which made Tatsumi look to his right and see the scientist who was sitting down earlier approach Elias. He was tall, probably the tallest out of everyone in the room.

"For once Esdeath is done with you, I'd be able to stylishly work on your body with my stylish Imperial Arm, Perfector." He declared as he lightly grabbed ahold of the young boy's chin and tilted it up, so they could look each other in the eyes. He had rolled the 'r' in _Perfector_.

"Dr. Stylish," Esdeath said as she looked at the tall man who in response shifted his attention to her. "Was there a reason why you didn't join the fight earlier?"

"Of course, I had complete faith in my stylish comrades." He replied as he entered a dramatic like pose that not only weirded out Tatsumi, but also Wave, Daidara, and Elias.

 _"Does he say stylish all the time?"_ Wave, Tatsumi, and Elias thought in unison while Daidara thought to him. _"What a bitch, he didn't try fighting Lady Esdeath."_

"I see." Esdeath said aloud as her eyes shifted towards Tatsumi who was still looking at the back of the doctor with a creeped out expression.

Seeing this look on his face made her smile, for she found it to be _cute_.

"General Esdeath." Spoke the black haired girl who had been silently standing next to her. She had what look liked a cookie in her mouth. "Who is that man and why is here?"

The man she had pointed to was Tatsumi.

"Tatsumi is here because I have plans for him, and because I want him here, Kurome." Esdeath stated as she looked at the young girl. "Do you have a problem with that?"

Kurome's reply was a shake of her head from left to right.

"Tatsumi..." Seryu said aloud as she tried to recall a person named Tatsumi. "Wait, General Esdeath! When you say Tatsumi, do you mean Tatsumi Seika!? The man who disrespected our Great Emperor?!"

"Yes." She answered with no hesitation. "This Tatsumi is that one, but he's no longer that person he was back then, for Tatsumi's allegiance now lies with me. Isn't that right, Tatsumi?"

"Yes, Esdeath." He answered almost immediately as he nodded his head vertically.

Although she was a little reluctant, Seryu said, "If you say he is now a servant of justice, then I guess I can work with Tatsumi here."

"Oh, Tatsumi won't be helping us combat Night-Raid for a while," Esdeath said with a smile as she moved next to him and wrapped her arm around him. "I simply just have plans for him, so, for the time being, he'll basically be a backup member and will be staying here for most of his time until I think he's completely ready."

It wasn't because she doubted Tatsumi's skill. She was confident Tatsumi could take out a member of Night-Raid like Sheele, but what she wasn't confident in was if he could take on Bulat or Akame, for he didn't have an Imperial Arms and the two of them were known as the Revolutionary Army's strongest warriors.

Both of them had titles that they had both earned by leaving a trail of corpses behind them, so she didn't want Tatsumi to fight them yet. Not until he was able to take her on and last for some time against her. Esdeath also didn't want him to fight them until she had acquired an Imperial Arm for him, but until all of that happened, she was going to keep him here out of harm's way, and train him.

With that out of the way, Esdeath said to the group. "Now, shall we officially begin this meeting?"

* * *

"This could actually work in our favor."

The table that Night-Raid would sit at to discuss their missions was full with Najenda sitting at the end with a smirk plastered on her face.

"Mind explaining how exactly?" Theo questioned as he looked at the silver-haired woman. "From what I just got from Chelsea's report is that Tatsumi has gone from living in the palace to living in a castle."

"I am also curious on how this could work in our favor." Lubbock agreed with a bit of reluctance. He usually tried to look on the bright side of things, but hearing that the person they were trying to rescue had been transferred to a fort that was full of Esdeath's soldiers as well as Imperial Arms users made it nearly impossible for him to look on the bright side.

"Well, for one we won't have to deal with Budo." Najenda declared in a neutral tone. "Budo was a threat that we would have had to deal with if we attacked the palace, but now that he's been moved to a different location we won't have to worry about the Great General getting in our way."

"... Okay, I'm never going to question you ever again, Boss." Lubbock confessed as he looked away, a little embarrassed that he didn't think about that.

"The Great General might not be an obstacle for us anymore, but we still have to deal with Esdeath and all of these Imperial Arms users." Bulat stated as a sigh escaped his lips. They didn't have much information on the personnel that was a part of the group, but from what Jericho had gathered one of the members was Bulat's former superior, General Liver.

He was taken back by this, and had assumed that he was lying, but after Chelsea had dug around in the palace they were able to get even more information on what happened to him. He had apparently been freed from prison by General Esdeath in the past, and has been a part of her army since then.

"We don't actually have to deal with all of them." Najenda stated as her smirk widened a bit. "All we need to do really is wait for an opportunity to present itself, and then we attack."

"What do you mean, Boss?" Leone questioned, traces of curiosity in her voice.

"I mean what I said." Najenda started as she pulled out one of the cigars she kept on herself. "All we have to do is wait for an opportunity to present itself, and then we can attack the castle. However, in the meantime, we need to gather information on this new place as well as the members of this squad and how many there are. In order for us to succeed we need to learn as much as we can about."

"Sounds like I'll be spending a lot more time at the bar." Jericho said with a half smile. The thought of having some whiskey excited him.

"I can try to sneak into the castle, but I don't think I should stay for long." Chelsea said with a tiresome expression written on her face. "Esdeath's soldiers aren't the same as the Imperial Guards, and there's a higher chance I could run into Esdeath or one of these Imperial Arms users."

"Understandable, just find out what you can." Najenda said with a small nod of her head.

"Hmm, I can try to see what my contacts know, but I still am kind of curious about what you're planning, Boss." Leone said as she looked at the silver-haired woman. She was a curious woman, and wasn't a huge fan of being kept in the dark.

"Once we have more intel on this group and the castle, I will tell you all what I have in mind, but for now I have nothing else to say on this matter." Najenda declared as her eyes drifted from one member of Night-Raid to another.

Although she was a little saddened that she couldn't learn anything more, Leone said, "Understood Boss." alongside everyone else.

With that said, Night-Raid's meeting had ended.

* * *

Tatsumi's eyes immediately snapped open upon feeling something get in the bed. He didn't know who it was, but he was pretty sure it was the woman that he had been sleeping with in the past few days.

"Did I wake you up, Tatsumi?" Esdeath questioned, her voice soft and gentle. She had gotten back from the part a while ago, and had thought about waking him up to talk to him about the squad's name and why he had zoned out earlier today, but had decided not to and just wait until tomorrow. However, as she entered the bed, she saw his body abruptly move.

His body could have moved because he was sleeping, but the movement was a little too quick, and if she looked closely it looked like his muscles tensed up a bit.

"Yes." He answered, his voice low, but audible.

"My apologies, Tatsumi, I didn't mean to wake you." She apologized, her voice still soft and gentle.

"It's fine, Esdeath." He said in response.

The two laid there in silence for a while. Tatsumi didn't mind this silence, and continued to look at the wall that he was greeted by upon waking up. Esdeath, on the other hand, was thinking of what to do. She had many things that she wanted to talk about with him, but just staring at his back made her forget them, and all she could think about was embracing him.

After scooting closer to him, Tatsumi was able to feel her breath hit the back of his head along with a few other things.

"Es-Esdeath...?" Tatsumi said hesitantly, unsure why she was this close to him. They may have slept on the same bed, but because of the size of if there was no reason to be close to each other, so why was she close to him now? The bed was slightly smaller than the one they had slept on in the palace, but it was still very large, and could fit two fully grown men.

"I feel like this is missing something..." Esdeath said in a low tone with a small frown that Tatsumi couldn't see due to his back still facing her.

As he thought about what she was talking about, Esdeath slid her arm underneath Tatsumi's and wrapped it around his chest and pulled him closer towards her.

"Esdeath, what are you doing?" Tatsumi questioned, his cheeks becoming redder as she slid her other arm underneath him and wrapped it around his waist, which now made it practically impossible for him to escape her grasp.

"I'm embracing you." Esdeath answered as she then intertwined her legs with his.

"... Embracing me?" He said after a few seconds of what he felt like awkward silence.

"Yes." She affirmed, her breath had caused the hair on the back of his neck to rise, and his face became a little bit redder as Esdeath shifted to what he believed a more comfortable position.

"... May I ask why?" Tatsumi asked after waiting for her to finish shifting her body.

"You may." She replied, her tone was gentle and would have probably relaxed him if they weren't in this position, but because he was basically being her body pillow he couldn't exactly calm down.

"Why are you embracing me?" He questioned, latched to his voice were traces of curiosity.

"Because I have developed the feeling called _love_ for you, Tatsumi." Esdeath responded with nearly no hesitation whatsoever.

"... What?" His response was borderline a grunt, but Esdeath was able to understand it.

"I've fallen in love with you, Tatsumi. I don't know why or how, but whenever I see you or am around you, I get this warmful feeling... _I feel happy_." Esdeath explained as her grip slightly tightened which made him inhale deeply.

"I... I see." Tatsumi said after a while. He had a war going on inside of his head, so he didn't know really what else to say, but he knew he had to say something.

"Stay with me, Tatsumi." Esdeath stated in a voice that was a little firm. "Stay with me, and I will do everything I can to make you a happy. I will never let you be plagued by sadness again. I will make you happy, all you need to do is just stay with me."

Tatsumi laid there in silence. Both his personalities were fighting one another and claiming that they knew what was best for them.

Seeing that he was being silent, Esdeath's grip around him tightened even more. It was like she was afraid to let him go and to remind him of who he belonged to do.

"I-I don't know what to say..." Tatsumi confessed, he was truly speechless, but he knew he had to speak. "I thought you'd never see me like that..."

Esdeath grip loosened upon hearing this, he sounded like he was actually confused, and that wasn't bad. After all, she had made it clear that she only wanted him to be her subordinate, so she just had to make it clear that her feelings had changed, and that she wanted him to be her lover.

"I know, this is a little sudden, so it's understandable if you're taken back by this, but know Tatsumi that I will never hurt you again. I love you, and I want you to be happy. I want you to feel like I'm the safest place in the world for you." Esdeath stated, her voice losing the firmness that it had just moments ago and reverting back to the soft and gentle one it had earlier.

 _"She cares for us, she loves us, we should tell her we feel the same way!"_ His personality that desired her affection declared joyfully. _"If we do that, then we'll never feel pain again, we'll be happy, we'll be loved..."_

 _"She doesn't deserve our love!"_ His vengeful personality denied with rage causing Tatsumi's brows to furrow. _"That woman... That abomination who is clinging to us deserves only one thing and that is a painful death! She only cares about herself, and she is lying to us. She may say that she'll not hurt us, but I know that she's lying. When we refuse her, she'll hurt us and tell us we belong to her!"_

 _"Esdeath's love isn't something I want to refuse."_ His other personality stated. _"I want to experience it. I want it."_

"I..." Tatsumi started before pausing.

 _"Farah's love is the only one that matters!"_ His vengeful personality screamed. _"She was the one who took care of us, she is the one who nursed us back to health, and she was the one who was willing to stay by our side till the very end. We must be loyal to her."_

"I..." Tatsumi began again before pausing.

 _"Farah has probably moved on, and so should we. Our life is at Esdeath's side."_ His other personality declared causing him to close his eyes.

"Yes, Tatsumi?" Esdeath said, she was a little curious why he was struggling so hard to just accept her feelings, but she decided to hold back on commenting it. She believed that reason why he was struggling was because there was a small part of him that clung to the past, but she wasn't concerned about it, for she was confident that in the end, he would accept her love.

"I... Love you too..." He said as he closed his eyes. While a part of him felt nothing, but bliss, there was a part of him that felt like he had done something wrong.

Those words not only made Esdeath's cheeks redden, but made her beat incredibly fast.

"Say it again, Tatsumi, and a little clearer this time." Esdeath ordered, she wanted to hear it again.

"... I love you too." Tatsumi repeated.

Esdeath smiled upon hearing it again, and her grip tightened around him, but it wasn't enough to cause him any discomfort, it was just enough to make sure he couldn't get out of her grasp.

"I love you, Tatsumi, and I'm never going to let you go."

"O-Okay."

Those were the last words that were exchanged before the two of them drifted off to sleep.

* * *

 **(Revan's AN): So originally this chapter was going to be around 3k words, or at the very least that was my plan but I somehow managed to get it to nearly 6.7k. It's strange, I can pump out these chapters quickly, but I struggle to write my DxD ones, but then again I haven't even bothered on writing them for a while now. I just focus on this story. Anyways, I guess Tatsumi x Esdeath is a thing for now. I believe I did a good job on the confession, but that might just be my opinion, so you'll have to leave a review or PM for me to know what you guys think. I also think that I did a wonderful job on her embracing scene, instead of her knowing exactly what to do, I felt it was better for her to struggle a bit.**

 **Um with that said, I don't think I have much else to say. Wait, I do actually, and that is lemons are unconfirmed. I don't know if I will write a lemon between them, I mean I can write one, but I honestly don't know if I want to do it. I feel it would be better if I just hint that they have sex, but if I wanna increase that word count then, I guess I should write them. Alright, now with that out of the way, I'll be taking my leave. I'll see you guys in the next chapter.**

 **Link to the discord server:** discord .gg/ uDxVym8


	24. A Change To Nightmares And Realities

**(Revan's AN): Sorry guys, I was busy with a number of things and just didn't bother focusing on writing. I mean, I could have at the end of the day, but I've been posting weekly and decided to take a break and just focus on other things.**

 **Full Summary:** Tatsumi Seika, the second son of Kaito Seika, was a rebellious child. Unlike his siblings, he didn't care about the duties of a prince, and after being told that he was going to marry some noblewoman, he ran away from home. Now, after five years of being away, Tatsumi has finally returned.

 **Non-canon, single-pairing, OOC Characters.**

* * *

 _"Flashbacks" -_ **Thinking**

"Flashbacks" - _**Talking**_

 _[Flashbacks]_ **\- Letters or Reports.**

 **Theme Song: Ten Million Voices, by Shaman's Harvest.**

 **Main Writer:** Revan the Edgelord

 **Co-Writer:** None.

* * *

There was once upon a time where Tatsumi did what he believed was right in his dreams.

He would kill Esdeath and prevent her from killing thousands upon thousands of people and in return; Tatsumi would lose his life for doing this, but at least he would rid the world of her.

However, his dreams after saying that he loved Esdeath were no longer dreams. They were no longer the one he had been having over and over again.

Instead, he would have nightmares. These nightmares would be about him being surrounded by n corpses of people that he cared for and loved. He would see his mother, Numa, Yuki, Akihiko, Naofumi, Theo, and the person he loved, Farah.

In Tatsumi's hand would be a blade that was covered in blood. The people he loved and cherished would all have shocked and horrified expressions on their faces.

The location they'd be at would be his mother's garden, and he would stand for seven minutes doing nothing except staring at their motionless figures. After seven minutes passed, Esdeath would arrive with her Three Beasts, and she would have a smile written on her face.

She would approach Tatsumi and tell him that he did a good job, and that she was pleased with his work.

Hearing those words would make him smile, and the two of them would leave the garden with Tatsumi not even looking back at the people he treasured. The reason why was because his eyes were looking at the hand he was holding. It was Esdeath's hand.

After they exited the garden, the world around the two of them would change to one that he could never forget. The scene that he would see next would be the one right before Esdeath began slaughtering his people. However, in his nightmare, it wouldn't be Esdeath who killed his people. The person who would do the deed in this world would be him.

He would kill every single one of them and would show no mercy to them. He ruthlessly killed them all.

Once he finished doing this, Esdeath would inform him that she was once again pleased with his work which would then make him smile.

After that, the two of them would start to make love over their corpses and Tatsumi would wake up.

Thus ending one nightmare, and beginning what a part of him to believed to be another nightmare.

The position Tatsumi found himself was the same one it had been for the past few days. His back would be facing Esdeath with her hugging him from behind. Upon waking up in this position the first time, Tatsumi attempted to break free from her grasp, but Esdeath seemed to notice this in her sleep and would tighten her grip on him.

After that incident, Tatsumi simply accepted his position as her body pillow and would lay there and wait for her to wake up. There were a couple times where he had drifted back to sleep, but he would wake up a few minutes later due to either him not just being able to go back to sleep or because Esdeath's grip would tighten for some reason.

As he laid in bed, Tatsumi's thoughts drifted towards the Jaegers. They had yet to be informed about his relationship with Esdeath, but he was pretty sure a few of them had figured out their relationship. Those people he believed knew about it were Run, Liver, Dr. Stylish and Nyau. He wasn't sure about Kurome due to her almost always having an indifferent expression written on her face, but he suspected that she might know too.

 _"I'm a little baffled by the fact that the others don't know about our relationship... I mean, Esdeath doesn't really hide her affection at all."_ Tatsumi said to himself as he recalled the past few days breakfasts and dinners.

Ever since they had confessed that they loved one another, Esdeath had pretty much been showering him with love and care. At first, she was kind of acting like a mother. She would make sure the meals he was eating were healthy as well as make sure he was taking care of his hygiene, but as of yesterday morning, all of that changed.

Usually, when she woke up, she would whisper good morning into his ear and give him a light squeeze, but that was it. However, when she had woken up yesterday, Esdeath with no warning whatsoever spun him around to where he was facing and kissed him on the lips, effectively stealing his first kiss.

Tatsumi was startled by this, but he didn't even get a chance to say anything, for she had quickly placed her lips on his again after flashing him a smile.

After what felt like an eternity of her dominating his lips with her own, Esdeath pulled her head back and said to him, _good morning Tatsumi_.

It had taken him a few seconds to respond, but eventually, Tatsumi was able to say _good morning_ back.

Not long after he had said that, he asked her why she suddenly did that in which Esdeath responded with, _It's what lovers do, right Tatsumi?_

After that, their routine changed. Instead of Esdeath getting a shower followed by him getting one, the two of them entered the shower together. He had tried to resist and tell her that it was too soon for them to be doing stuff like that, but Esdeath laughed in response and said that they had already seen each other naked, so there was no problem washing each other.

It was at that moment, that their relationship was a real one, and that he had no choice really, but to accept that this was going to be his life from now on.

However, some of him didn't accept this and refused to believe that this was going to be apart of his life. This side of him believed that eventually they would escape from this life they're currently living, and be able to exact their revenge on this woman and her Empire.

As he continued to think about the Jaegers, Tatsumi was unaware that Esdeath had woken up.

Upon seeing Tatsumi's brown hair, Esdeath smiled. The sight of his hair was something she believed she'd never get used to seeing and always make her smile.

 _"How should I greet him this morning?"_ She asked herself. She wasn't even sure if he was up yet, but she assumed he was due to him being him up before her in the past. _"Should I greet him with a kiss again?"_

The thought of kissing him made her cheeks turn red. Yesterday was not only their first kiss, but her first kiss in general. She had never kissed someone before, and if she was going, to be honest with herself, she didn't think it would be so, _exhilarating_.

Originally, Esdeath had only planned on giving him a quick kiss, and the reason why was because of a book she had read earlier. In it, it had said that a thing lovers would do was give their beloved a kiss in the morning, so that was what she did.

However, upon her feeling his lips against hers, Esdeath's heart began to flutter, and she wanted to experience more. Not only did Esdeath want to feel his mouth against hers again, Esdeath also wanted to _dominate_ it with her own. That was what had caused her to kiss him again. She wanted him to know that those lips of his belong to no one, but her.

Unbeknownst to her, Esdeath's grip on Tatsumi became slightly firmer as she thought about how to greet him.

There were many ideas, but none of them weren't as exciting except kissing really.

Deciding that the way she was going to greet him this morning was going to be a kiss, Esdeath moved her legs so that they weren't intertwined with his and flipped him over to where he was facing her.

Again with no warning at all, she planted her lips on top of his.

Tatsumi had attempted to speak, but the words that he tried to convey came out as grunts and moans due to his lips being pressed up against hers. His eyes were open wide due to him being startled, while Esdeath's eyes were slightly open. She was gazing directly into his eyes.

The kiss lasted for about ten seconds before she severed it, and when she did, she had a smile of satisfaction written on her face.

"W-Why did you do that?" Tatsumi questioned, his cheeks still flushed red with embarrassment. He hadn't expected her to kiss him so patiently, so he couldn't help from being embarrassed.

"I believe I had answered this question yesterday, Tatsumi." Esdeath replied in an amused tone.

"Y-You did, but still..." Tatsumi trailed off as he shifted his gaze elsewhere. "It's embarrassing..."

I don't see why it would be embarrassing, Tatsumi." Esdeath stated as her smile lessened. "We are lovers, and alone, so I don't see why you'd get embarrassed by us kissing."

"... I meant to ask why you do it so suddenly with no warnings at all." Tatsumi corrected after a few seconds of silence. He was still embarrassed by them kissing, but what really bothered him was the fact that she would do this without even alerting him.

"Because I find it to be more _exciting_ and not to mention, I love seeing these reactions of yours." Esdeath answered as she placed her hand on his cheek.

"Well, could you please give me a heads up next time?" He requested as he looked into her eyes. "It's a little startling when you do that."

"Mmm, I'll think about it, Tatsumi." Esdeath said in response after quickly pondering over his request. She didn't see how her kissing him could be startling, but since he requested in such an innocent manner, she decided to at least think more about it at a later date.

Believing that this was as good of an answer he was going to get, Tatsumi said in response. "Okay."

A small silence ensued between them before Tatsumi broke it by speaking again.

"Um, can you perhaps let me go now? I've been up for a while now, and was planning on getting a quick shower before the day starts." He said as he avoided meeting her gaze. He didn't know why, but for some reason, he couldn't look into her eyes for too long.

Esdeath hummed softly before answering his question. "No, I want to stay in this position for a little longer."

She had gotten a shower last night, so she had no plan on joining him in the shower this morning which was why she wanted to do nothing except lay with him and talk.

Although a part of him would have preferred to be away from her, Tatsumi didn't say anything and accepted his fate that he was going to be with Esdeath for a while.

Silence had briefly filled the room once again before being broken by Esdeath.

"You know, I have been thinking about getting you an Imperial Arm, Tatsumi." She said as she looked into his eyes.

"Y-You have?" He said in surprise, taken back completely by this sudden statement.

"Mhm," Esdeath hummed in response. "I can't request for one now, it is far too soon for you to be getting one, but I have been thinking about getting you one."

"Why's that?" Tatsumi asked with a tinge of curiosity in his voice.

"Isn't it obvious?" She said as she looked at him with a small smile. "You're my lover, and I want you to stand on equal grounds as me."

At this, his cheeks became red.

 _"Esdeath truly loves us."_ His desiring personality stated as his lips moved upwards and formed a smile. _"She doesn't see us as her pet, she actually sees as lovers!"_

His vengeful personality, however, disagreed with him. _"Esdeath doesn't love us, for she isn't capable of love. Farah, on the other hand, loves us, and every second we lay here in bed with this abomination is another second I feel we're betraying her."_

 _"Let go of those feelings you have for Farah, Esdeath is the only one who matters."_ His desiring personality declared. _"She's the one who's been looking out for us. She's the one who is willing to do anything for us, not Farah."_

 _"Have you forgotten that it was Farah, not Esdeath, who took care of us when we were weak?"_ His vengeful personality practically shouted as the smile he had on his face vanished. _"Farah was willing to stay behind with us back in Ylona, she was ready to die by our side, and we sent her away. Esdeath has also nearly killed us multiple times as well, so I don't know where you're getting these ideas that she's been looking out for us."_

Meanwhile, Esdeath was resisting the urge to kiss him again. The smile that he flashed him was beautiful, and his blush had amplified its beauty.

Luckily, for him, Esdeath was able to successfully resist this urge of hers, and instead said to him. "You have a wonderful smile, Tatsumi."

Snapping out of his thoughts, Tatsumi blinked and saw that Esdeath was giving him a loving smile.

"Thanks..." He answered, latched to his voice was a bit of uncertainty.

Noticing the lack of certainty in his voice, Esdeath asked him. "Has something been troubling you, Tatsumi? As of lately, you've been losing focus and have been hesitant to respond."

"It's nothing important, Esdeath." Tatsumi answered after taking a second to gather his thoughts. "Everything's just been moving a little too fast for me, that's all. There's nothing you need to get worked up about or concerned about."

Although she doubted Tatsumi was being completely honest with her, Esdeath decided not to comment on it, and instead said to him. "Is that so?"

"Yes." He answered with a small nod of his head.

"If that's the case, then I will take your word for it, Tatsumi." Esdeath stated as she flashed him a smile.

* * *

Chelsea released a sigh as she walked down the hall.

She had managed to infiltrate the Jeagers headquarters where Tatsumi was being held by posing as a maid named Camilla, but had only gained a little information that she considered to be useful.

She had seen him only once since infiltrating, and when she did, she saw that he was following behind Esdeath with a spear in his hand, which was a sight she didn't expect to see at all.

Because she had seen this, she had became curious about the relationship between the two of them, and had attempted to gain more knowledge about them, but apparently, no one seemed to know what their relationship was.

She couldn't go to the dining room where the Jaegers eat, and observe the two of them as they eat, for she had to play her role as Camilia, and Camilia's job were cleaning rooms.

 _"Seriously, how does no one know what Esdeath and Tatsumi's relationship is at all?"_ Chelsea asked herself with a small frown as she continued to walk down the hall. _"I can understand the guards not really knowing it, but the maids should easily be able to tell what their relationship is. They practically deal in this type of stuff."_

Due to her not paying attention to where she was going, Chelsea bumped into someone who just exited a room on her left.

Falling straight onto her butt, she said aloud. "Ow, that hurt a lot."

"Sorry about that! Are you okay!?" Came a masculine voice that had traces of concern in it causing her to look up and see a man with dark blue hair peering down at her with an expression that was full of worry.

"I-I'm sorry, sir." She responded, her voice was meek and apologetic. "I didn't see where I was going, and I-I didn't mean to run into you, sir."

At this Wave's lips moved slightly upward. Since arriving at the Capital City, he hadn't been able to talk to any normal people, but now he finally felt like the chance to has arrived. He did consider Run to be normal, but Run liked to read a lot, so he didn't get to talk to him a lot. He also considered Tatsumi to be normal, but he was by Esdeath's side every time he saw her, so he couldn't exactly talk to him without worrying about Esdeath.

"It's fine. There's nothing to apologize for..." He started before pausing.

"Camilla, my name is Camilla, sir." She stated, her voice was still meek and submissive.

"Camilla, eh?" Wave said in a happy tone. "That's a wonderful name, doncha think?"

"Y-Yes, sir." Chelsea replied with a bit of uncertainty in her voice. She wasn't sure where this was going, but she had already prepared to take him out if she needed to.

Realizing that she was still on the ground, Wave hit his face with his palm. "Where're my manners!? Here, let me help you up!"

Taking his hand, she said to him. "Th-Thank you, sir."

"Y-You don't have to call me sir, Camilla..." Wave said as he rubbed the back of his head and averted his eyes elsewhere. He didn't notice this at first due to him being concerned about him knocking her down, but now that he had looked at her more, he realized that she was actually very pretty.

"B-But that would be disrespectful..." She stated as her lips moved slightly downwards, and her expression changed to one of trouble. "You're a Jaeger, and I'm simply a maid... To address you casually would be extremely disrespectful..."

"Please, just call me Wave." He requested with a somewhat awkward smile. He had grown up in a small village called Morata, and spent most of his adolescent years on a boat, so he wasn't used to dealing with servants and what not.

"B-But..." She said, traces of uncertainty in her voice.

"Please." Wave practically begged. He was finally having a perfectly normal conversation with someone who wasn't Run, and didn't want it to be ruined because of his status as a Jaeger.

"If you insist..." She stated with reluctance in her voice. In reality, Chelsea didn't mind addressing him at all as Wave, but she had to play her part as Camilla, in order to not cause suspicion.

Wave on the inside cheered. He felt like he completed one of his goals, which was making friends, so he couldn't help from being happy. Of course, he did consider his comrades as friends, and did get along with them, but he still wanted to have some normal people as friends.

A silence ensued between the two of them before Chelsea said to him. "If you have no more need of me Wave, then I am going to go now. I have work to do, and if I'm caught slacking off, then the head maid will punish me."

"Oh, um, that's... That's understandable." Wave said in response. He was a little taken back by this statement. He didn't know how being a servant worked, but if what she said was true, then he deemed it best to let her go. " I guess I'll, um, see you around then?"

"Y-Yeah, I'll see you around, Wave." She said with a small smile before walking off past him.

As she made her way down the hall, Wave watched her and couldn't help from grinning a bit as he thought to himself. _"Mom would be so proud of me now if she was here."_

* * *

Esdeath hummed softly to herself as she and Tatsumi walked down one of the main roads of the Capital City.

After finishing breakfast, Esdeath informed Tatsumi that he would be joining her on patrol, which was shocking and something no one at the dining table expected to hear, but Tatsumi didn't have any complaints, nor did he have any questions as to why he would be doing this. He accepted the information, and retrieved his spear before departing with her.

"Esdeath, people are looking at us." The brown-haired youth said in a low tone that reached only her ears.

"Mmm, are they?" Esdeath asked as she looked at him before looking around only to see that pretty much everyone was looking at the two of them with curious eyes. "Oh my, you're not wrong."

Due to Tatsumi not being comfortable with the people's stares he had pulled up the red garment that was around his neck and used it to hide his lower facial features. If he had his old robes, he would have just hidden his facial features with the hood, but because he wasn't wearing that and was wearing the coat Esdeath had got him; this was all he could do to conceal his face.

"Shouldn't we do something about this?" He questioned with a frown that she could not see.

"What do you mean?" Esdeath said in response as she looked back at him.

"If everyone's eyes are on us, then isn't it going to be hard to patrol?" Tatsumi asked with a bit of uncertainty in his voice.

"I don't see how that would affect our patrol Tatsumi, so could you perhaps elaborate more on how it would affect it?" Esdeath replied, latched to her voice was interest. She wasn't asking him this to get a rise out of him or anything like that, she was genuinely curious about how people observing them would affect their patrol.

Tatsumi thought about how it would for nearly a minute before eventually giving up and saying to her. "I don't know."

At this Esdeath chuckled softly, she had occasionally glanced over at him as they continued their walk to see Tatsumi's brow to furrow and unfurrow, so she knew he had truly thought about it before answering.

"Well, if you ever do figure that out, then let me know." She said with a smirk.

The two continued their walk in silence for a while. During this time Esdeath spent most of her time glancing at Tatsumi and admiring the seriousness he had in his eyes. Tatsumi, on the other hand, was looking around constantly and watching the interactions people had with one another as well as keeping an eye out for other things.

In short, it was Tatsumi who was taking the patrol serious and not Esdeath.

Eventually, the brown-haired male broke the silence by asking her a question. "Shouldn't we do something about that?"

Following his index finger, Esdeath saw two members of the Imperial Police harassing an old beggar who had one arm.

There was a small crowd that had formed to witness what was going down, but so far no one had attempted to step in and stop the two officers.

Esdeath had seen this earlier, but didn't care at all about what was going on, so she said to him. "What about it?"

"They're picking on that old man." Tatsumi said in response, his voice firm.

"Yeah, so?" Esdeath replied, not seeing what it was important.

"... Isn't that wrong and something we should stop?" He questioned after a few seconds of silence. He was starting to believe Esdeath didn't care at all about what was going around them and used this patrol as an excuse so she could be alone with him more.

"I'm sure they have a reason for picking on him." Esdeath said before resuming her walk. She expected Tatsumi to follow, but to her surprise, Tatsumi didn't. Instead, he continued to watch what was happening.

"Tatsumi?" She said, only for him to start moving, but not towards her he had started to walk towards the two officers and old man.

As he approached the three, he watched the fattest of the two officers push the man to the ground and say to him. "Trash like you shouldn't be in this city. All you guys do is sit around and beg others who are successful for their hard earned money."

The old man didn't respond, but Tatsumi had noticed his lips quivering as he continued to approach them.

He wasn't the only one who noticed it, the other officer had seen this, and said to the man as he pressed his boot onto his waist. "What? Do you got something to say, old man? Go on, say it! I'm all ears!"

Right when the old man opened his mouth, Tatsumi placed his hand on the skinny officer, and said to him in a low tone. "Don't you think you've done enough, sir?"

"Haah?" Came the officer's response as he shrugged Tatsumi's hand off and turned around to face him.

The other officer had turned around to face him, and upon seeing Tatsumi immediately said in a voice with anger in it. "Is there something you need, pretty boy?"

"No, but I was wondering if you could stop what you're doing." He answered as lips curved downwards into a small frown. "You're causing a scene, and the man has one arm. There's no reason for you two to pick on him."

Esdeath, who had yet to move from her position watched the scene with a look of interest. The idea of stopping Tatsumi had crossed her mind earlier, but another part of her wanted to see what he would do to the two members of the Imperial Police.

"No reason?" The fattest of the two said aloud with traces of amusement in his voice. "No reason to pick on him, you say?"

"In case you didn't hear, _sir_." The skinnier officer stated as he took a step forward into Tatsumi's personal space. "That old man has done nothing, but bugged others for food, clothes, and money. He has done nothing useful in the past six years, but depended on others for survival."

"It's not like he wanted to become a cripple and a beggar." Tatsumi said in response. The man was taller than him, so he had to look up slightly, but he didn't take a step back. "He probably lost his arm fighting for the Empire, so you should show him some respect."

Now, he didn't know the old man's history, but after seeing that he had lost his arm from the wrist down, Tatsumi was positive that the man was a war veteran.

The people who were watching this began to murmur amongst themselves. Most of them knew the old man, and had confirmed that the man was a war veteran who had lost everything due to him losing his wife, and not being able to provide for himself.

Hearing the words that were being whispered, the officer who was in Tatsumi's face tried to shove him to the ground, but as soon as his hands touched the prince, Tatsumi grabbed his wrists and threw him to the ground.

The fat officer didn't expect this, and had taken a step forward, but that was all he could do before feeling a cold blade be pressed against his throat.

Tatsumi had reacted faster than him, and had quickly closed the distance between and had taken out the man's knife and pushed it against the fat officer's neck.

"All it takes is one quick movement, and then you will be dead, do you understand?" Tatsumi questioned as he stared into the man's eyes.

"... Y-Y-Yes." He stuttered.

"If you don't want to be dead, then you're going to apologize to that old man right now." He stated as he continued to stare into the officer's eyes.

"U-Understood." He said before looking at the one-armed man who had still been laying on the ground. "I'm sorry, sir! I didn't mean to cause any offense!"

Satisfied with that, Tatsumi pulled the knife back and sheathed it back in the officer's sheath before marching towards Esdeath. He would have said something to the skinny man, but apparently, he had somehow knocked the man out, so he didn't bother wasting time with him.

She had a smile on her face, which lead Tatsumi to believe she was happy with what he did, however, he was pretty sure, she was happy with how he handled the two officers, and not for stepping in.

"Apologies, Esdeath." He said as he approached her. "I didn't mean to make you wait for me, but I felt like I needed to do something."

"It's fine, Tatsumi," Esdeath said as he moved closer to him. " _but next time let me know before you do something like that, okay?_ "

The last part she whispered into his ear, which caused a shiver to go down his spine, but he nonetheless nodded his head in compliance.

Satisfied that he understood, Esdeath said to him. "Good, now let's be on our way again."

* * *

"For hands of gold are always cold, but a woman's hands, _warm_." Jericho sang alongside the Imperials before taking a massive swig of his drink.

Sitting on his right leg with her arms wrapped around his neck was the redhead officer he had met a few weeks ago at the bar. She was wearing her uniform, but didn't have her hat on.

He was currently inside one of the many Imperial Guards' barracks, which wasn't something he expected to ever enter at all, but the woman that he had met at the bar become very interested in him, so he decided to capitalize on the opportunity, and gain as much information on the Jaegers as he could.

"You have a lovely voice." The woman on his lap said to him with a smile on her face.

"Thanks, Sienna, but I wouldn't be able to sing like that if it weren't for you." He coolly replied before going in for a kiss, which she accepted heartily.

As they parted, one of the Imperial soldiers who was sitting across from him said with a grin. "You two look like a couple in love, I'm a little jealous."

"Us?" Jericho said a bit of amusement in his voice. "Nah, I'm just the guy who gives her my sword for free."

The men around Jericho laughed while Sienna's face became a tinge of red.

"Well, you guys look like a couple regardless." The man said as the laughter died down.

"Mmm," Jericho hummed as he took a sip of his drink. "speaking of couples in love what's the deal with General Esdeath and that Esperan prince, uh what's his name, Tutsami?"

"Tatsumi?" An Imperial corrected who was sitting across from Jericho on his left before taking a quick sip of his drink. He had a woman who wore an erotic dancer's outfit that had black hair and dark skin color on his lap.

"Yeah, that's the one." Jericho affirmed as he snapped his finger and pointed at the man.

"To be honest, I have no idea what their relationship is." Another soldier confessed with a frown written on his face. "I've heard that he's her prisoner, but I've also heard that she treats him more like a subordinate than prisoner as well."

"I don't think they have a master and slave relationship now that I think more about it." Spoke another soldier caused Jericho to shift his attention towards him. "I recall in the past when they were in the Imperial Palace how she would sometimes allow him to go to the palace's library, so I think their relationship is more than that."

"Really?" Jericho said with a tinge of surprise in his voice.

"Yeah, now that I think about it too, I don't think their relationship is captor and prisoner," Sienna stated as Jericho looked at her. "I think it's something more."

"Huh, do you think they're possibly lovers?" Jericho questioned, traces of curiosity seeping into his voice.

Everyone who had heard the questioned looked at one another before suddenly laughing out loud. Some of the soldiers slapped their knees at the question and even Sienna laughed.

"Esdeath in love?" A soldier said before bursting out laughing again.

"Is it really that funny?" Jericho asked as he looked around at the soldiers who had yet to cease their laughing.

"It's hilarious!" A soldier cried out before falling out of the wooden chair he sat in which caused some of the soldiers who had started to calm down to laugh again.

Jericho did feel a little annoyed by what they were doing, but he didn't say anything about it. He believed that they'd eventually answer his question.

And eventually, they did, it just took them a good minute or two.

"The reason why it's funny is because no one really believes Esdeath is capable of falling in love." The soldier who had the dark skin dancer on his lap stated. "Sure, she shows love to her troops, but that's completely different."

"But what if they are in love?" Jericho questioned with a frown.

"If they are on love, then congratulations for them, I guess?" Another soldier stated with a look of uncertainty. "But again, the idea of those two being in love is something no one can imagine."

Jericho said nothing in response, for he had already begun planning on going to a bar where Esdeath's soldiers eat and drink. Why he thought of this was because he doubted he'd get anything more useful from the members of the Imperial Guar besides a good drink.

* * *

Theo and Takeo couldn't help from gasping for air as they held onto the fence, which happened to be the only thing that was keeping them from falling down.

They had both just gone up against Bulat, at the same time, for the fifteenth time, and the one thing they could say about him was that he was not _human_. Both of them had seen Tatsumi fight, and admitted to themselves that he was on another level than them, but Bulat seemed to be on a higher level than him, which was saying something.

"What the..." Theo started before pausing to take in a big breathe of air. "What the fuck is he made out of?"

As he asked that, he looked up at Akame who had been observing their matches and jerked his thumb towards Bulat who looked like he had just started sweating.

"Meat." Akame answered after a few seconds of thinking.

Takeo shook his head upon hearing this and said in between gasps. "There is, no way, that monster is, made of meat."

"But he is." Akame affirmed, her tone having a tiny bit of sternness in it.

"It must be bear meat then..." Theo said, traces of exhaustion in his voice. "Because there is no way he is just human."

Akame didn't say anything, but Bulat did.

"Come on guys, if we don't keep training you two, then there is no way you guys will last against Esdeath, and her Imperial Arms users!"

The two released groans upon hearing that as they were turned around to face him again.

A part of them was starting to regret wanting to rescue Tatsumi.

* * *

 **(Revan's AN): And cut. The ending was a little abrupt, but it's whatever. Anyways, I don't have much to say, so I'm gonna go now. I'll see you guys later. Hopefully** **, I'll have a longer word count, but no promises.**

 **Link to the discord server:** discord .gg/ uDxVym8


	25. Night Of Love

**(Revan's AN): I'll talk about the reasons why this chapter was short at the end.**

 **Full Summary:** Tatsumi Seika, the second son of Kaito Seika, was a rebellious child. Unlike his siblings, he didn't care about the duties of a prince, and after being told that he was going to marry some noblewoman, he ran away from home. Now, after five years of being away, Tatsumi has finally returned.

 **Non-canon, single-pairing, OOC Characters.**

* * *

 _"Flashbacks" -_ **Thinking**

"Flashbacks" - _**Talking**_

 _[Flashbacks]_ **\- Letters or Reports.**

 **Theme Song: Save Me, by My Darkest Days.**

 **Main Writer:** Revan the Edgelord

 **Co-Writer:** None.

* * *

Tatsumi's had a troubled expression as he stood in the shower with his hands on the wall. His head was hung low, and the water was a little hot.

It had been nearly two weeks since he became Esdeath's lover, and his mind had yet to have peace, and quiet. His personalities were arguing with one constantly, and there were only a few occasions where they agreed with one another.

As of lately, Tatsumi has barely been able to sleep, but it wasn't those two that were preventing him from sleep. No, the person who has been waking him up in the night, and preventing him from falling asleep was Esdeath. She, for some odd reason, has started to become more _grabby_ with him.

There were times where Esdeath would come back from a meeting or whatever it was she was doing and he would be asleep, and she would wake him up because she wanted to talk to him for a while, which was fine, but the problem was that she would fall asleep, and then start to touch him inappropriately.

At first, Tatsumi believed Esdeath was having an erotic dream, which was normal for people have that every now and then, but after the third time, he started to become bothered by it. In fact, he began to wonder if Esdeath was even asleep, for she would try to slide her hand down his trousers, and that was something he was positive a sleeping person couldn't do.

However, despite her touching him in sexual manners and saying lewd things to him in her sleep, Tatsumi not once spoke about it with her, for he wasn't sure how Esdeath would react to this information. Not to mention, he wasn't sure how to bring it up.

As he continued to think about these things, Tatsumi tilted his head back and had the water hit him directly on top of his head which made his hair fall down on top of his forehead, and cover his eyes.

 _"I should probably talk about these things with her soon."_ He said to himself as the hot water continued to pour down on him. _"Even if it is an awkward conversation, I shouldn't let these things keep on happening."_

After deciding that tonight was going to be the night where he talks to her about it, Tatsumi finished his shower. He quickly dried himself off before exiting the bathroom, and upon exiting it, he saw Esdeath closing the door behind her as she entered the room.

Her eyes had landed on him immediately, and Tatsumi could have sworn that her lips had curved slightly upwards in the form of a small smile, but Tatsumi wasn't exactly sure due to the room being barely lit.

"Tatsumi." Esdeath greeted, latched to her voice was a little bit of happiness.

"Esdeath." He greeted back with a wave of his right hand while keeping his left hand on the towel that covered his manhood.

Silence briefly filled the room, for Tatsumi had assumed that she was going to say something to him, but because she didn't for several seconds, he broke it by saying, "The water should still be warm. I just finished taking a shower, and I wasn't in there for long, so you shouldn't have to worry about having a cold shower."

"I don't need to take a shower." Esdeath stated in a firm tone. All she did today was go to the Emperor's Palace and attend a few meetings as well as give a report on her progress with Night-Raid, so she didn't think she needed to take a shower.

"I see." Tatsumi said in response. Unlike her, he had spent most of his day in the training yard honing his skills and inside the castle reading a book. He had also spent some of his time with some of the Jaegers, but their time together was short, for they all had things to do. Although, this didn't bother him really at all.

"... How was your day?" Esdeath asked after a few seconds of silence.

"It was good." He answered before making his way to the dresser where his sleepwear was kept. "I had spent a good majority of my time in the training yard, and I had chatted with Wave for a while. Oh, speaking of him did you know-"

As Tatsumi was explaining what had happened today, Esdeath gazed at his back. The wounds he had gotten on his back from being whipped by Daidara back in Espera were still there and were most likely going to remain there for the rest of his life unless she had Dr. Stylish close them with his Imperial Arm, but that wasn't why she was staring at him.

When they had showered in the past, those injuries were what had captivated her eyes, but this time it was different. This time, the thing that had caused Esdeath to look at Tatsumi with such interest was himself. It wasn't just one thing about him. It was everything.

While he opened the dresser, and continued to explain what he did today, Esdeath had walked towards him. Her high heel boots made a sound every time she took a step forward, but Tatsumi didn't seem to notice her closing the distance between them.

Eventually, she stood directly behind him and with no notifications, she embraced him.

Feeling her arms wrap around him had caused Tatsumi to cease what he was saying and say, "Esdeath?"

"Why do you do this to me?" She questioned, her grip on him wasn't firm enough to cause him any discomfort, but she had made it to where he couldn't turn around and face her without using any force.

Not quite understanding what she meant at all, Tatsumi said in response. "What do you mean?"

"I mean why do _you_ make _me_ feel _weak_?" She asked, as her embrace became a tiny bit firmer.

"I-I don't know?" He answered, not sure how he was suppose to answer the question.

Esdeath tightened her grasp, which caused Tatsumi to take a breath of air. At first, he wasn't feeling any discomfort, but due to her increasing the pressure, he was starting to feel some pain and discomfort.

"I haven't felt weak in a very long time, Tatsumi." She said in a voice that was barely above a whisper. "This is all your fault, and you need to take responsibility."

"Esdeath..." Tatsumi said with a sigh.

"When I'm with you my heart beats fast, and I feel content, but when I'm away from you; I feel lonely and have this longing feeling for you." She explained, not giving him a chance to talk. "It makes my heart ache, and the only way I can satisfy it is by seeing you."

Not knowing what to say, he remained silent.

"I should have killed you the moment we met in Espera." She said aloud as she pressed her arms against him causing him to inhale through the nose and stand taller.

However, the pain he felt quickly went away, for she loosened her grasp almost immediately.

"But if I did that, then I'd never get to experience this feeling called love," Esdeath stated with a smile. "I would have been alone, and I would have been strong with no weaknesses for my enemies to exploit."

"Esdeath, I..." Tatsumi started before closing his mouth. He had thought of something to say to her, but for some reason, he couldn't find the strength to speak.

"You're a _weakness_ , Tatsumi," Esdeath declared as she turned him around so that she could look into those eyes she found to be majestic and beautiful. "but you're a weakness I'm willing to tolerate. You will be _my_ only weakness in life, Tatsumi. _No one else_."

Not giving him a chance to say anything, Esdeath closed the distance between their faces and began to kiss him.

The action had made Tatsumi move backwards, which caused the open drawer to close shut.

She was kissing him viciously, but also passionately, and while her eyes were closed, his eyes remained open, for Tatsumi didn't expect this at all, so he wasn't reciprocating the feelings, but Esdeath didn't seem to notice this. She continued to kiss him.

Tatsumi didn't return the feelings for several seconds, he had stood there for quite some time with his back against the dresser, but eventually, he slowly closed his eyes and started to reciprocate them.

She had easily opened his mouth with her tongue, by forcing it in, but upon his starting to react and play with hers, Esdeath's heart began to beat fast.

His hands had gradually moved from his side and grabbed ahold of her hips, which made her heart beat even faster.

He was returning the love she had for him, and although he was a little hesitant, Tatsumi was nonetheless returning it.

Wanting to go farther, Esdeath grabbed ahold of the towel that was wrapped around his waist with her right hand and easily yanked it off.

Tatsumi was startled by the action, and had opened his eyes slightly to see that her eyes were open instead of being closed. The look in her eyes wasn't the same one he was used to seeing, they now looked, _lustful_.

She broke off the kiss, a second after doing this, and said to him in a whisper. " _I want more_."

Unfortunately for him, Tatsumi didn't get a chance to ask what she meant, for she had lifted him up off of the ground, and threw him towards large bed that they slept on. He, of course, was startled by this action, and had released a gasp of surprise, for the bed was a few meters away from them, but to his shock, he landed perfectly on the bed.

Using his elbows, Tatsumi sat up slightly and was able to see her finish undressing.

She usually took about a minute to get her uniform off, but because she didn't want to waste any time, and wanted to feel Tatsumi's flesh, she quickly undressed.

As he watched her take off her boots, Tatsumi couldn't help from feeling a little aroused. He also had this sickening feeling in his stomach, for some reason, but that didn't stop him from watching her.

Once she was done, she swiftly marched over to the bed and climbed on top of it. As she did this, Tatsumi used his hands to sit up even more, but she pushed him back down with one hand and said to him. "No, Tatsumi, I want you to lay down."

"O-Okay." He said in response before Esdeath went in for a deep kiss.

She had kept her lips on his the entire time she climbed on top of him. She didn't care if he had trouble breathing, all she cared about was keeping his lips on hers.

After she had finished getting on top of him, Esdeath broke the kiss and stared into his eyes.

Blue eyes met green eyes.

"Tatsumi." She said with a small smile as she placed her left hand on the right side of his face.

"Yes?" He replied with traces of uncertainty in his voice. He had learned about and had read a few books that had sex scenes in them, and in those stories it had the guy take the lead, but for some reason, he couldn't do anything the guy would do in the story. All he could was lay there and gaze into Esdeath's eyes.

" _Touch me._ " She ordered in a firm, but sweet voice.

Not knowing exactly where she wants him to touch her, Tatsumi lifts his right hand up, and grabs ahold of her left breast, which makes her release a noise.

It had sounded like a moan, but because he wasn't unsure, Tatsumi's gaze shifted back to her face, and he said to her. "My apologies, did-"

"I'm fine, Tatsumi." Esdeath said with her smile still on her face.

"O-Okay." Although he was still unsure, he decided to take her word for it, and looked back at the boob that was in his hand. It was a little bit bigger than his hand, but it wasn't too large. It was just large enough.

Because he was lacking confidence, Tatsumi didn't do much but fondle with the tit. He pulled it this way and that way as well as squeezed it here and there. These actions elicited moans from her, which built his confidence up.

As time passed, Tatsumi grabbed ahold of her other breast and began to play with it too. He had them collide with one another as well as many other things, and eventually, he started to suck on the small pink nubs.

Feeling his mouth on her right teat, Esdeath released a moan that was louder than the ones he had heard before. Not long after this came out of her, she wrapped her right arm around his head and pulled him into her while saying in a soft tone.

"Don't stop."

With no intention of stopping, Tatsumi continued to roll the teat in his mouth with his tongue. He would occasionally bite down on it with his teeth, but when he did, he didn't use any force, so she didn't feel pain. In fact, when he did press down on it, Esdeath evoked moans that were even louder than the ones he heard previously.

After some time had passed, Esdeath said in a lustful voice. "The other one, play with the other one Tatsumi."

Listening to her request, Tatsumi removed the right teat from his mouth, and moved her left teat towards it, and placed it in it.

Thus, he repeated the process and sucked on it.

Tatsumi didn't know how long he did this, but after a while, Esdeath said, "Let me return the pleasure, Tatsumi."

With that said, Esdeath moved her body diligently backwards.

Once she came to a stop, Tatsumi used his elbows and sat up slightly so he would be in a more comfortable position, and saw Esdeath looking at his manhood.

"Esdeath?"

Esdeath didn't say anything nor did she do anything. She just continued to stare at his sexuality. However, after several seconds she ceased her staring, and brought her mouth down on his member.

She had witnessed her men raping a few times, and she had seen her men shove their dicks in female prisoner's mouths, and feel pleasure from it, so she was confident that Tatsumi would feel ecstasy if she did this.

And what she thought was right, for as soon as she placed his penis in her mouth, Tatsumi released a gasp, and tilted his head back and looked up at the ceiling. Esdeath didn't shove all of it. She had only engulfed only the upper half of his member in her mouth.

"Esdeath..." He moaned as he looked back at her, which had made her move her head back up slightly and look up at him.

"N-Nevermind, continue." He said after several seconds. In the stories he read, the woman would usually start off by licking the man's genitals and kissing it, but Esdeath didn't do that at all. She instead, just placed it in her mouth, which was something he didn't expect at all.

If he was being honest with himself, it felt like he had just entered a new dimension, a dimension that only had pleasure in it.

After receiving his consent, Esdeath lowered her head and began to suck on his member as if it was a lollipop. The reason why she did this was because the men she had seen experience this would grab ahold of the female and tell them to suck it, so she knew what they were doing.

At first, the room was practically quiet with only faint wet noises and moans, but as time passed on, Tatsumi's love moans became louder, and the wet noises turned to a slurping like noise.

Esdeath would occasionally stop sucking on it, and would grab ahold of the base with one of her hands and lick the shaft while watching Tatsumi's expressions. She found it cute when he tried to hold the groans back, and would apply a little force to make him release them when he held back for some time.

Eventually, while it was in her mouth, Tatsumi said to her voice with concern. "Esdeath, I-I'm gonna-aahh..."

Esdeath could have prevented the white liquid from filling her mouth, but instead, she didn't. She had felt his member get bigger seconds before it happened, but because she wanted to know what his semen tasted like, she continued to suck.

As his blissful moans died out, she removed her lips from his penis and swallowed it all.

"It was sweet, but also a little salty." She said to herself as she sat up.

Tatsumi said nothing in response and simply watched as she climbed back on top of him.

Once she had finished mounting him again, she went in for a kiss, but before their lips connected, Esdeath stopped and said to him, "I'm yours Tatsumi, and you're mine."

* * *

 **(Revan's AN): Unfortunately, I have to end it here. I had planned on doing a full blown lemon, I actually did, but I'm on a tight schedule, so I have no choice to end it here. I had also originally planned on you know doing a full chapter, but because it's Valentine's day, I decided to this. This chapter was all written on Valentine's Day, and had I started earlier today, I probably would have finished it, but because I didn't start until around 2 my time, I only had four hours to work on it. I apologize if this upsets you guys, but I got a date, and if I told her that I chose to write sex scene over her, I'll be six feet under, so I gotta cut it here. Know that, I really wanted to finish this, and with that said happy Valentine's Day. See you guys in the next chapter, now bye.**

 **Link to the discord server:** discord .gg/ uDxVym8


	26. Loyalty And Trust

**(Revan's AN): I have no words that need to be said.**

 **Full Summary:** Tatsumi Seika, the second son of Kaito Seika, was a rebellious child. Unlike his siblings, he didn't care about the duties of a prince, and after being told that he was going to marry some noblewoman, he ran away from home. Now, after five years of being away, Tatsumi has finally returned.

 **Non-canon, single-pairing, OOC Characters.**

* * *

 _"Flashbacks" -_ **Thinking**

"Flashbacks" - _**Talking**_

 _[Flashbacks]_ **\- Letters or Reports.**

 **Theme Song: Ten Million Voices, by Shaman's Harvest.**

 **Main Writer:** Revan the Edgelord

 **Co-Writer:** None.

* * *

Tatsumi couldn't fall asleep.

It was late at night, and he had yet to fall asleep.

Laying their head on his chest and clinging to him was a naked Esdeath. She had drifted off to sleep not that long ago, but Tatsumi didn't pay much attention to that, for his mind was preoccupied with other things.

One of those things was the fact that he had just had sex with her.

He had enjoyed the moment that was no lie, but not long after they had finished having sexual intercourse did he realize what he had just done. He had sex with the Empire's Strongest, the woman who had invaded his country and killed so many people.

Although a small part of him saw no harm in having sex with her, there was a part of him that was disgusted with himself.

At first, he tried to say to himself that it was the heat of the moment, but he knew deep down that he could have stopped it if he truly didn't want to have sex with her. He could have said that he wasn't ready for that, and that it was soon to be doing stuff like that, but he didn't.

He allowed Esdeath to do as she pleased his body, and he enjoyed it.

A part of him loved her, and that terrified him.

Another thing that had crossed his mind was that he had betrayed the woman he felt he truly loved, Farah.

Sure, one of his personas had said that it was best to move on and forget about her, but he couldn't. He couldn't forget the feeling of her soft hands, her silky long black hair that flew in the wind when a gust of wind came, and her green eyes that shined brighter than any jewel he had ever seen. He just wasn't capable of forgetting the woman that made his heart skip several beats for the first time in his life.

It was just an impossible task in his mind, and because he couldn't forget about her his disgust for himself grew. The reason why his disgust grew was because he felt like he was betraying her.

 _"What the hell am I doing?"_ He asked himself for what he believed to be the hundredth time. _"I'm either with Esdeath, or I'm against her."_

Despite being conflicted, Tatsumi felt like he was in a moment of clarity as he stared up at the ceiling. For once, _they_ weren't there arguing with one another, about what they should do, it was just him and his own thoughts.

When _they_ were there and arguing, it felt he was being possessed. The movements he made when _they_ were there were small, and could be seen as trivial in the eyes of other people, but for him they weren't, they were huge.

May it be a furrow of his brows or a clench of his fists it didn't matter, for he found them to be important, and was worried that if something doesn't change soon, then he'll no longer be in control of his body. Somebody else would, and that was something that terrified him.

 _"Isn't it obvious?"_ Came the lustful persona's voice. _"The only thing we can do now is commit ourselves to Esdeath. We've betrayed not only Farah, but everyone who Esdeath has killed by sleeping with her and loving her. Our only choice of living a happy life is being with Esdeath now."_

Tatsumi said nothing in response, which caused the alter to continue speaking. _"You can't deny it. We love Esdeath."_

 _"... I don't care about living a happy life."_ Tatsumi said after several seconds of silence. _"We, in all honesty, don't deserve to live a long and happy life. We've killed hundreds, possibly thousands of people, and have robbed so many people of their family members. It doesn't matter if it was in war or self-defense, the fact remains we're killers, and don't deserve a long and prosperous life."_

 _"I disagree."_ The alter stated in a firm tone. _"We have survived many things, and have endured many hardships, we deserve a long life that is nothing, but pure bliss."_

Tatsumi again said nothing for some time.

In reality, there was a small part of him that did want to live a long life where he grew old had kids, and grandkids, but there was another part of that felt like he didn't deserve such happiness. His pride had caused thousands of people to lose their lives and to make matters worse a piece of his heart has come to love the woman who took their lives.

 _"Stop trying to deny our love for Esdeath, and forget about Farah."_ His alter personality declared, traces of irritation in his voice. _"She's a thousand miles away from us_ _and has moved_ _on with her life. It's time we do the same."_

Tatsumi didn't say anything to the personality. Although a small portion of him did agree with it, he chose not to give up on Farah. He doubted he'd get to see her again, but that wasn't going to stop him from missing and loving her.

Sure, he may have come to love Esdeath, and might one day love her more than Farah, but no matter what, he wasn't going to stop loving Farah even if she moved on and forgot about him, for she was his first crush, and the woman who took care of him when he was weak, which were things he could never forget.

* * *

Tatsumi hummed in a thoughtful manner as he pondered where he was going to move his remaining Bishop.

Wave, who was sitting across from him, didn't even bother hiding his smirk. They were playing best three out of five in Chess, and he believed he was going to finally beat Tatsumi and turn it around in his favor.

The reason why they were playing was because Esdeath gave them a day off. Usually, Wave would be on patrol with either Bols, Kurome, or Daidara, while Tatsumi would be either accompanying Esdeath or doing something inside the castle, but because they had the day off, the two of them decided to hang out.

Out of all the Jaegers, Tatsumi came to like Wave the most. Sure, he may be an idiot a good majority of the time, and be oblivious to the cruelness that the people in the Capital City experience, which in all honesty wasn't good, but he nonetheless was a person Tatsumi enjoyed spending time with.

He would have been spending the day with Esdeath most likely, but the Prime Minister had summoned her to the Emperor's Palace for some reason, so she left to go see what he needed alongside Liver and Run.

Tatsumi still didn't like Liver. He found the old man to be repulsive not as repulsive as the little shit named Nyau, but nonetheless repulsive. As for Run, Tatsumi didn't have any issues with him. The blonde man kept to himself most of the time, which was a little suspicious sometimes, but besides that he was an alright guy.

After listening to Tatsumi release another thoughtful hum, Wave said in a smug tone. "Feeling trapped yet, Tatsumi?"

"No, not yet." Tatsumi said into his hand that was covering his mouth while continuing to examine the board in an attempt to figure out where to move his bishop.

"Well, you should be." Wave declared in a firm voice before taking a sip of his glass of water that had four ice cubes in it. "This time I'm going to be the victor, for whatever move you make, I'm going to counter it."

"I see." Tatsumi said in response as he narrowed his eyes. He was thinking about moving his Bishop and taking out Wave's last Knight, but if he did that, then Wave would take his Bishop with his Rook.

After contemplating for about another thirty seconds, Tatsumi finally moved his Bishop and took Wave's last Knight. He knew he had just gotten rid of his remaining Bishop by doing this, but he believed the Knights were the second strongest piece in Chess right behind the Queen.

Not even two seconds later, Wave moved his Rook forward and took Tatsumi's last Bishop while saying in a proud manner. "Take!"

As he set the piece to side, Tatsumi examined the board again. He could now move his Queen and take the Pawn that was in front of it, but after taking his Knight, he now wasn't so sure if he should. Of course, he didn't see anything that could take his Queen, but there was nothing wrong with being cautious.

Deciding to take the Pawn, Tatsumi moved his Queen forward.

However, upon him taking the Pawn, both Wave and Tatsumi's heard a bell go off.

"What's that?" Tatsumi questioned as he set the Pawn down next to all the other pieces he took, and looked at Wave.

"I' don't know," He answered with a shrug as he got up from his seat, and looked at the door with a troubled expression. "I'm pretty sure it's the warning bell, but I don't know why someone would be ringing."

"... Don't you think we're being attacked then if they're ringing it?" Tatsumi asked after a couple seconds of silence.

"Yeah, but who would be attacking us?" The dark blue haired male questioned with a small frown.

"No idea, but we should probably check it out, don't you think?" Tatsumi said as he got up from his seat and picked up his spear that was resting against it.

"Yeah, let's go see what's going on." Wave agreed as he picked up Grand Chariot and followed behind Tatsumi.

* * *

"Landfall!" Ieyasu roared as he slammed his warhammer onto the ground causing the twelve Imperials to go flying into the air and release screams of shock and horror that were abruptly cut off due to them suddenly becoming mincemeat.

Unbeknownst to the soldiers, the green haired male who stood behind Ieyasu had quickly covered the courtyard with his wires, which made it impossible for anyone to enter or leave unless he allowed them.

The two of them along with Jericho were assigned to holding the castle's courtyard, which in short meant they were supposed to keep the bridge down, and prevent any Imperials from coming into the Jaeger HQ and reinforcing their comrades.

Satisfied that they made short work of their enemies, Ieyasu said to his comrades. "Man, this is a little too easy, these guys just don't seem to learn at all."

"I wouldn't be too relaxed, Ieyasu." Lubbock stated as he lifted his pair of goggles up and onto his forehead. "At any second Esdeath could come back, and we could be in for a fight of our lives."

In truth what they were doing was reckless and risky, but this was there best bet. They had been informed the night before by one of their informants that the Prime Minister was going to summon Esdeath to the Emperor's Palace to discuss a great number of things, and had decided that this was their best chance at rescuing the Esperan Prince.

However, in reality, none of them were sure if they could call this a rescue mission. Over the days learning about the Jaegers' headquarters, the members of Night-Raid had learned a lot about Tatsumi and his relationship with them, and Esdeath.

They learned that Esdeath had made him a back up member, and a few days ago they learned that Tatsumi was Esdeath's lover.

When the members of Night-Raid were informed about this, they were skeptical about rescuing him and believed that he was now on the Empire's side, but both Theo and Takeo argued strongly about Tatsumi's allegiance and declared that he must be faking it or that Esdeath had brainwashed him.

Regardless of what they thought, Najenda had decided that they were going to retrieve Tatsumi, for they needed him if the Revolutionary Army was going to get the support of the Esperan Army. The deal was that they would rescue Numa's brother, and in return, Numa will assist in assaulting the Capital City with them, so no matter what side he was on, they needed to rescue him. After that, whatever happens to Tatsumi wasn't their concern.

Of course, they could wait for a chance of Tatsumi going on patrol with a Jaeger member, but so far when he went on patrol he went with Esdeath, and Esdeath only, and she was someone Night-Raid didn't want to fight, which is why they chose to take this opportunity.

Ieyasu in response clicked his tongue in annoyance. "We could take her."

"Sorry, I don't want to be negative, but I highly doubt that." Jericho confessed with a frown. He had wanted to take a swig of his flask, but he had promised that he wouldn't drink on the mission and stay sober, so he couldn't.

"Yeah, don't let that pride of yours fool you." Lubbock stated in a serious tone. "I understand you like to fight, but Esdeath is someone we can't take. It's why we're doing it now because she isn't here, and because we can take on her subordinates."

As Ieyasu opened his mouth to say something, someone spoke in a loud and clear voice.

"My, oh my, what stylish wires we have here!"

Directing their attention to where they heard the voice, the three members of Night-Raid were welcomed to the sight of a tall man who appeared to be a scientist staring at one of the many wires with a fascinated expression.

"That's..." Ieyasu started.

"Dr. Stylish, a member of the Jaegers." Lubbock finished as he narrowed his eyes.

Seeing that they knew him, the tall man grinned happily and pushed his glasses up, while shifting his attention towards them.

"Yes, it is I, Dr. Stylish, and I have come here to collect your bodies, so that I can experiment on them to my heart's content!" He declared in a triumphant voice, as he struck a hero like pose.

The members of Night-Raid didn't say anything in response. They were completely speechless at the sight they were witnessing.

"What? Do you three have nothing to say?" Dr. Stylish questioned, his grin still written on his face. "Were you all taken back by my stylish looks?"

"... I'm going to need a drink after seeing that." Jericho said as he took out his flask again and took the cap off. He didn't care if he was breaking his promise to Najenda, after witnessing that atrocious thing, he needed some alcohol.

Taking what the man said as an insult, Dr. Stylish said, "You guys have terrible taste in style, but don't worry, I'll let you three see my Stylish minions before dying. Minions!"

After shouting the last part, the three members of Night-Raid watched as a bunch of weirdos came not only out of the castle, but over the castle's walls and surround them, which was a suprise, for not a single one of them had ran into Lubbock's wires.

As his important pieces approached him, Dr. Stylish said while pushing his glasses up again. "Try not to damage their bodies too badly, my Pawns, and if it is possible, try capturing one of them, it's been quite some time since I've experimented on an Imperial Arm user who was alive."

* * *

"This is for Espera!" Takeo yelled as he rammed his blade into the Imperial soldier's abdomen. He wielded the long blade with his right hand, and had his left hand on the man's right shoulder.

The Imperial released a gasp as he raised his hands to grab ahold of him, but before he could cling to him, Takeo yanked the blade to his right causing the man to go to his right and go flying off of it and onto the ground.

He was still alive, but instead of finishing the soldier off, Takeo spun himself back around and placed his left hand onto his blade, and caught an Imperial's sword with the midsection of his sword.

As the Imperial hurled an insult towards him, Takeo said to the man. "Fuck off, and die!"

Pushing the blade to his left, Takeo was given an opportunity to attack, and delivered a hard elbow to the man's face.

The soldier wore helm that covered his face, but that didn't stop him. The power behind the elbow was enough to cause the man to take a few steps back which gave him the opportunity he truly needed, the opportunity to use his blade.

Not wasting a second, he swung his blade sideways and cut the man's head clean off.

As the man fell to the ground, Takeo turned around to see Theo cut down one of their few remaining opponents.

The two of them along with Akame were assigned to check the Eastern side of the castle, and had so far faced nothing, but ordinary soldiers, which was a surprise to the two males, but not an unwelcomed surprise, for they both had unfinished business with the men who guarded the castle.

The men who guarded the Jaegers' base of operations were men that belonged in Esdeath's army, which meant they were there when Ylona fell, which really meant they needed to pay for what they did back there with their lives.

After Theo killed one of his opponents, he quickly sidestepped to his left and avoided one of the swordsman's strikes, and warded off another with his sword. He didn't stay on the defensive for long due to Takeo coming into assist, and with his help it didn't take them long to deal with the remaining soldiers.

Once they were done with them, Theo pulled out a piece of cloth that he kept on him, and said, "Well, that makes, I think twenty-two for me?"

"You've been keeping count on how many you've killed?" Takeo questioned while raising an eyebrow. He didn't bother cleaning his blade, for he knew it was only a matter of time before they get in another fight.

"Yeah." Theo answered as he finished cleaning his blade. As he put the piece of cloth away, he looked at Takeo and said to the tall warrior. "Why, haven't you been doing the same?"

"No, not really." Takeo said with a small frown. "I've just been killing them."

"Ah, I see." Theo stated with multiple nods of his head. "Well, I've been keeping count of my solo kills, and I'm at twenty-two."

As Takeo opened his mouth to a respond, Akame who was down the hall called out to them. "Tatsumi isn't in any of the rooms, let's go."

Both of the warriors said nothing in response and just simply obeyed the orders she had given them, for this had so far been the usual. Akame would kill anyone in her way, and then search for Tatsumi while the dealt with the handful of soldiers that was left, and by the time they were done with them, Akame would be done with her search.

As they traveled with her, the two of them wondered multiple times why they were with her and not someone else. From what they've seen, she doesn't need any backup. If there two dozen men in her way, she would eliminate three-fourths of them in less than ten seconds which was an amazing feat. In fact because they witnessed this, the two of them had also started to think about what would happen if Esdeath and Akame fought.

They may not have seen Esdeath fight, but they have seen Akame fight, and knew that she could easily kill them due to her speed, which made them believe that if they did fight, Akame would come out as the victorious one.

The three of them walked down multiple halls in silence for a while, and each door they passed they would stop and check. Eventually, they came to a pair of double doors, and with no words being said to one another, both Theo and Takeo opened the doors for Akame.

"Hello, big sis~. It's been a while." Spoke the black haired girl who was waiting there for them, and was accompanied by a dozen soldiers as well as her minions.

Akame's eyes upon seeing her sister narrowed slightly, and she said in a voice that was barely louder than a whisper, but somehow managed to reach everyone's ears. "Kurome..."

Both Theo, and Takeo grips on their weapons tightened after hearing the girl's name. They had been informed about the Jaegers, so they knew who this girl was.

She was an Imperial Arms user, and nonetheless Akame's sister, which meant that they were going to be in for a fight of their lives.

* * *

Tatsumi followed as Wave sprinted down the hall, towards where the explosions were. Wave had his Teigu armor manifested, and Tatsumi kept a lookout with his spear at the ready.

As of lately, he has practiced more in unarmed combat, for Esdeath believed his skills in hand to hand combat was lacking. He, of course, disagreed with that, but after a quick match against her, he agreed to train more in it. The two of them reached the end of the hallway, where a pair of stained glass doors led into the Western courtyard. They both skidded to a halt, and with Wave still in the lead, he slowly opened one of the doors.

Upon opening the door, the two of them were greeted by the sight of two figures, with one of them standing over the other. The one who stood above was a male judging by their physique and wore silver and white armor with a red spear like halberd in their hands. The person who was laying on the ground below them was the young officer Elias.

His sword was laying not far from him, but just from glancing at it they could tell it was in poor condition and on the verge of breaking.

As the armored warrior raised their weapon slightly, both Wave and Tatsumi couldn't help from shouting, "Elias!" at the top of their lungs.

This not only caused the masked officer to turn and look at them, but it had also stopped the armored warrior from impaling him.

Using this as an opportunity, Wave charged at the man as _Black Rose_ , a spear like halberd that looked exactly like the armored warrior's weapon except in color, manifested out of thin air in his hands.

However, about halfway through the charge the wall on Wave's left exploded, which caused the navy man to break off from his attack and move to his right.

Stepping through the now massive hole in the wall was a blonde woman with feline features, who said in a slightly vexed tone. "Man, that guy's Imperial Arm is no joke. Had it not been for my Imperial Arm's regeneration abilities, I'm pretty sure he would have killed me."

All four men stared at the blonde woman, who didn't seem to notice that a fight was about to ensue, however, only one was staring at her for different reasons.

"Leone, you're, um, you're top." The armored warrior stated who was keeping his right foot on Elias' chest and preventing him from moving.

"Huh?" She said in response before averting her eyes downwards only to see that one of her breasts was out in the open for everyone to see. "Oh, that's a little awkward. I didn't even notice that." As if nothing out of the ordinary happened, Leone lifted her top up, and covered the exposed breast.

After doing this, she looked back up and noticed Wave standing a few meters away from her with his spear in his right hand. Glancing to her left, she saw Tatsumi and gasped in surprise.

"Bulat, isn't that our target, Tatsumi?" She asked as she looked at Bulat who had yet to move from his position.

Tatsumi upon hearing this tightened his grip on his weapon, and spoke before the armored warrior could speak. "I'm Night-Raid's target?"

In reality, this had also caused a shiver to go down his spine, but that didn't make him quiver in fear. One of his alters had wanted to seek out Night-Raid and have them assist him taking down Esdeath, but after hearing that they came here for him, he prepared himself to fight.

"Yes, but-" Bulat started only to be drowned out by Wave who shouted.

"You bastards, what do you want with Tatsumi!?"

"It's none of your concern, bud." Leone said as she crossed her arms and grinned.

Looking at the blonde, Wave said to her. "It is my concern. Tatsumi is my comrade, I may have been suspicious of him at first, and believed that he was an enemy of the Empire, but he is a good guy, and has done nothing wrong!"

"Yeah, I agree!" Elias said causing both Leone and Wave to look at him. "At first I thought he was some guy trying to trick General Esdeath, but after spending time with him, I can say without a doubt that he's a Jaeger!"

Tatsumi could help from saying, "Wave, Elias..." in an emotional tone. He may not like the Empire for what they've done, and wanted them to pay, but that didn't mean he hated the members of the Jaegers. Sure, there were some he didn't like, but these two were some of the members he liked and considered to be good people.

"Everyone, calm down." Bulat ordered in a voice filled with power. "There's no need to fight."

"Like hell there is!" Elias barked as he glared at the armored who kept him pinned to the ground. "You Night-Raid scum have committed countless atrocities, there is plenty of reasons to fight."

"Yeah, and you came here to kill the person who makes the Commander happy!" Wave declared with anger in his voice. "As he said, there is plenty of reason for us to fight!"

"We didn't come here to kill him! We came here to rescue him!" Bulat yelled in irritation as he unconsciously pressed his foot down on Elias causing a small gasp to come out of his mouth. He was hoping that he could convince Tatsumi to come with them, but the longer they prolonged him from speaking, the more Tatsumi began to glare at them.

A silence filled the courtyard, a silence that was abruptly broken by Tatsumi who said, "What do you mean by that?"

"He means that we're here to take you away from Esdeath." Leone stated causing Tatsumi to direct his attention towards her.

"Why?" Tatsumi questioned with doubt in his voice. Even though he wanted to believe them and go with them, a small piece of him was having doubts.

"We... We can't say it here." Bulat said in a calmer tone as Tatsumi shifted his attention back towards him. "As much as I want to tell you why, I can't tell you here, but if you want to know, then tell your comrades to stand down, and just come with us. No one else has to die today."

Tatsumi said nothing for quite some time. It seemed that both Wave and Elias were waiting for his response.

If he was being honest with himself, he didn't know what to do. As much as he wanted to tell them to stand down, a part of him felt like Night-Raid was here to abduct him, so that they could ransom him to his brother or something along those lines.

Eventually, he spoke. "As much as I want to go, I don't trust you. I don't know much about Night-Raids besides the fact that you guys are assassins, so I'm going to refuse. Not to mention, if I did leave willing and Esdeath found out and catches us, I will experience hell again, and that's something I don't want to experience ever again."

Leone clicked her tongue in annoyance upon hearing his response. "I would have preferred if you came quietly, but I guess we have no choice, but to go plan B."

"Agreed." Bulat said with a nod before looking down at Elias. "I'm sorry, you seemed like a good guy, I hope you can forgive me in the afterlife."

With that declaration, Bulat brought Neuntote down onto Elias.

* * *

 **(Revan's AN): Hmm, it could have been better, but I'm not some pro writer, so sorry if this you know subpar. Anyways before anyone goes like, "This is random! Why are they doing this!?" let me say that this idea, aka: Rescue The Prince has been an idea of mine since like chapter 10. I've always wanted to do the cliche Rescue The Princess type of thing, but in my own way, so here it is. Now, like I said it probably could have been better, but what's done is done. I find this chapter to be good, and quite frankly that's all that matters. As long as I enjoy what I write, then I'll keep posting for if I start to not find enjoyment, then this story will die. Anyways, that is all I have to say, so I'm going to go now, I'll see you all later.**

 **Link to the discord server:** discord .gg/ uDxVym8


	27. Rescuing The Prince Part I

**(Revan's AN): I have no words that need to be said.**

 **Full Summary:** Tatsumi Seika, the second son of Kaito Seika, was a rebellious child. Unlike his siblings, he didn't care about the duties of a prince, and after being told that he was going to marry some noblewoman, he ran away from home. Now, after five years of being away, Tatsumi has finally returned.

 **Non-canon, single-pairing, OOC Characters.**

* * *

 _"Flashbacks" -_ **Thinking**

"Flashbacks" - _**Talking**_

 _[Flashbacks]_ **\- Letters or Reports.**

 **Theme Song: Ten Million Voices, by Shaman's Harvest.**

 **Main Writer:** Revan the Edgelord

 **Co-Writer:** None.

* * *

Numa released a sigh as he and his company slowly rode into Haven.

It had been a long journey, and he wanted to see his family, for he had a very long road ahead of him.

Luckily though, the people that he left in charge while he was gone weren't incompetent, for the rebuilding of Ylona had already begun. It wasn't burnt to the ground, but there were nonetheless a lot of buildings that had been damaged that needed to be repaired.

As he rode into the courtyard with Iguchi riding next to him, he was greeted by the sight of his family members, the woman who had taken care of his brother, the Royal Battlemaster, and many other high-ranking members of the Esperan Kingdom.

His Hand wasn't here, but that was because he was in Ylona overseeing the restoration of the city, which was something he was fine with; in fact, he was actually happy that the Hand of the King was there, for it showed people that he didn't abandon them, and was not giving up.

It was quiet in the courtyard, but upon Numa dismounting from his horse did the silence break.

"Numa!"

The one who broke the silence was Numa's sister, who ran towards him while practically shouting his name.

Numa was taken back by his little sister's actions, for she had never done this before, but it wasn't unwelcomed. He stretched his arms out, and with a small smile decorating his face, he said, "Yuki." in a happy tone.

As the two embraced, the people who were watching couldn't help from smiling as well. Had Yuki not been Numa's sister, the scene would have looked like a hero returning and embracing his beloved, the princess.

"I'm glad that you're alive, Numa." Yuki muttered into her brother's chest as she held him tightly. She had been trying her best to act strong, but every day her fear of losing another family member grew. The thought of losing her last older brother was a thought that tormented her night and day.

"... I am too." He agreed as he tightened his grip on her. There were multiple times where he wanted to send a letter to his family, but because he was in the Empire's territory, he couldn't out of fear that something would happen to the courier he would send. If he had and the man was killed, then news of him being in the country could possibly break out, and then he would have to watch out for the Empire's forces for they would be on the lookout for him.

At least, that's what he thought.

However, it mattered little now, for he was back in his country, and with his family once again.

Once the two of them finished hugging, Numa looked at the people that gathered to the courtyard, and said to them all in a loud and clear voice. "I'd first like to apologize to you all. As your King, I should have stayed here and focused on the kingdom, but I had my reasons for leaving, and I don't regret them. I know some of you are also not content with me being your King, and see me unfit to lead our people, but for the time being, I ask that you put these thoughts aside, so that we can focus on our one true enemy, the Empire."

Pausing to let that sink in, Numa looked at the gathered people's faces. A few of the nobles in the crowd had whispered to one another, but their words didn't reach Numa's ears.

"I know, some of you are probably thinking along the lines that this is futile, and that we can't fight them because of General Esdeath, but they had killed thousands of our people. What they did at Ylona cannot go unpunished, and I know I'm not the only one who lost a loved one that day." Numa stated, not deterred by the fact that the war to come will be a fight up a long and sturdy hill.

The last part of his small speech had struck a nerve in the crowd. Most of the lords and ladies who were in Haven were nobles who had escaped with the Seika family through the secret passageway, and the majority of said nobles were old and had children who were apart of the Royal Guard.

With his speech concluded, Numa said to the crowd. "Now, if you all will excuse me, I would like to spend some time with my family. I haven't had any alone time with them since the fall of Ylona, and would like to do that."

* * *

Wave couldn't help from shouting, "No!" at the top of his lungs before charging the armored warrior.

Tatsumi, on the other hand, was taken back by what he had just witnessed. Bulat of Night-Raid had just killed Elias.

As soon as he finished his statement, Bulat had slammed his weapon down on Elias' neck. The spear cut through his neck as if it was butter, and made a noise upon the metal tip hitting one of the many stone tiles that Elias was laying on.

"Not so fast!" Leone yelled as she tackled Wave to the ground from behind. Because he was so focused on avenging his now decapitated comrade, he had completely about the other Night-Raid member.

"L-Let go of me!" Wave roared as he tried to get up off the ground, but was unsuccessful due to Leone pushing him back down and pulling his legs out from underneath him every time he got onto his knees.

"As if I would just because you asked!" She rebutted as she began to wrestle with the former navy man.

As the two fought on the floor, Bulat said to Tatsumi. "It's still not too late for you, Tatsumi. You can still come quietly."

"That person you just killed was my friend," Tatsumi said in response with a glare. "I may not be a fan of the Empire, but Elias was a young and good guy, and you just murdered him. There is no way I'm coming with you."

"I really didn't want to use force, but I guess you leave me no choice," Bulat said with a sigh. "I had hoped that you'd see reason after that, but I guess violence is the only way to get you to come with us. Forgive me for what's about to come next."

After that declaration, Bulat darted at Tatsumi, who in return, sprinted towards him as well.

Using _Neuntote_ like it was a warhammer, Bulat swung it at the prince, who evaded the attack by falling and sliding on his knees. He didn't know how powerful Bulat's weapon was, but if it was like Wave's spear, then he wanted to try avoiding the spear's blades, for Wave's had the capability to cut through stone and sturdy trees.

Now, he didn't see Wave cut through stone or sturdy trees, but this is what Esdeath said about the spear, so he didn't want to take the chance. Sure, the shaft of his spear may be the bone of an incredibly strong Danger Beast, but he didn't want to risk it, for he did not know what Danger Beast's bones were used to make the weapon, which meant he didn't know if its bones were stronger than stone.

As he got up, Tatsumi looked over his right shoulder to see Bulat on top of him with his spear like weapon above his head.

Knowing that he needed to get out of the way, Tatsumi used his feet and pushed off of the ground and avoided another blow that would have ended his life. As he moved away, he heard the sound of metal hitting stone again and couldn't help from thinking that the man was trying to kill him.

Once he had gotten some distance from him, the prince rose to his feet and turned around to see Bulat close the distance between them, but unlike before he was holding his weapon as if it was a spear, and not a warhammer.

Predicting his attack, Tatsumi sidestepped to his left and avoided Bulat's thurst. However, Bulat didn't stop there, and the reason why was because of _Neuntote's_ design. It wasn't like Wolfsbane, which allowed the wielder to use it like a cleaver, but it did give the wielder the ability to use it like an axe and warhammer.

Bulat launched several attacks, and had expected one of them to land, but to his surprise, Tatsumi evaded the attacks with the exception of two of them where he deflected the attacks.

 _"He's fast, not as fast as Akame, but fast."_ Bulat thought to himself as he launched several more attack, which were again unsuccessful.

Meanwhile, Leone was starting to have a difficult time with Wave.

At first, she was the one that was dominating the fight, and that was because she stuck to him and kept him on his knees, but eventually, Wave was able to get her off of him and get to his feet.

After he got to his feet, Wave picked up _Black Rose_ , and begun to attack her relentlessly while preventing her from getting within arms reach of him, for she had nothing to combat him except her fists and feet.

Getting slightly frustrated with her opponent, Leone said to the armored Jaeger. "Is this all you can do? Attack and then run away? Are you scared to get into close quarter combat with me?"

"Why would I fight fairly?" Wave asked as he ceased his attacks and looked at her. "You're in Night-Raid, a group that's nothing but a bunch of cutthroats who murder civilians."

"You're a soldier, right?" She questioned with a small frown. "Aren't you suppose to have honor?"

"No, I was never a soldier." Wave answered as a small smile formed on his face, a smile that she couldn't see. "I was a sailor, and the opponent I faced never fought fair and honorably, so I shall not do the same."

With that declaration, Wave resumed attacking her.

* * *

Theo clenched his teeth as he and his comrades stared down their enemies. They were outnumbered three to one, but they had Akame on their side, so it should be an even fight, at least that's what Theo thought.

The silence that had filled the garden was broken by Kurome, "What you're doing here is very bold, big sis. I know Night-Raid is strong, but to attack the Jaegers' Headquarters? That's a very bold move."

Akame said nothing in response. She just simply continued to stare her sister down.

Seeing that her sister wasn't going to say anything, Kurome said with a small smile written on her face. "Anyways, I don't mind this attack, for we'll finally be reunited, big sis. Once I kill you, I'll store you in Yatsufusa, and we'll be together again! You'll never be able to leave me again!"

"...Kurome." Akame said after a few seconds of silence, a trace of what sounded like disappointment in her voice.

"Isn't it wonderful, big sis?" Kurome asked as her smile started to appear more and more crazed. "We'll be able to do everything again like when we were kids! We'll look out for each other, and protect each other before you left me!"

Silence filled the room once again, the soldiers who were with Kurome had casted her glances of concern, while the three members of Night-Raid looked at her with what could be considered expressions of pity.

Both Theo and Takeo didn't know their backstory, but just hearing the emotions in Kurome's voice they were able to tell that she wasn't right in the head, and that the cause of it was most likely because of Akame leaving her.

"... I didn't leave you, Kurome." Akame said after some time. "I left the Empire after seeing what it had become."

"I'm apart of the Empire, so you left me." Kurome declared, a tiny trace of anger in her voice. "You abandoned me, but don't worry once we're together again, I'll never abandon you. We'll be together, forever and ever."

Knowing that her sister was beyond reasoning, Akame released a sigh. In truth, she didn't want to fight her sister, and was secretly hoping that she could convince her to leave the Empire, but Kurome was to far gone, which meant she had one choice.

"Very well, there is only one choice I have here, and that is to eliminate you." Akame stated as the grip on her katana tightened.

Kurome's smile widened upon hearing this, and one of her puppets, a man that stood around six feet tall moved in front of her to protect her. He wore a mask that covers the lower half of his face and a long trench coat with a green and blue scarf. He also wore pants with knee-height boots. He wielded a weapon that was quite similar to the naginata, but it was a little bit different.

"If you want to do that, big sis, then first you're going to have to get Natala and my other puppets."

Akame showed no reaction upon seeing Natala step in front of her, but she did have a dozen questions she wanted to ask Kurome upon him doing this. However, she wasn't going to bother asking them, for she had already resolved herself, and knew that the sister she loved was gone.

With no more words left to be said, Kurome said to the soldiers, and her puppets. "Kill them."

As the soldiers charged them, Theo said to his comrades. "We need to fall back, we're-"

However, before he could finish his sentence, a man with a knife appeared in front of him, and forced him to block an attack that was aimed at his throat.

"Theo!" Takeo shouted in surprise as he looked at Theo, only to see out of the corner of his eye a woman with two handguns charging at him alongside the soldiers. As he turned back to face them, she shot at him.

"Doya and Henter are the ones you should look out for." Kurome called out from behind Natala. Unlike, the other puppets, Natala and another puppet that was wearing a suit stayed at Kurome's side. "Doya was a former assassin, and Henter was one of the survivors of the Ban Tribe, and was hard for me to acquire him, so you shouldn't take your eyes off them."

Theo gritted his teeth, as he blocked another one of the now named puppet's attacks. The guy was fast, and he was sure if he hadn't spent days on end training with the members of Night-Raid he would have been dead.

As Doya fired several more shots at Takeo who had used his massive sword as a shield to block some of the bullets, Akame darted towards her. Doya was the only one that wielded a gun, so she had considered her to be the first priority.

Seeing Akame come at her, Doya stopped charging and leaped backwards while firing at Akame who cut the incoming projectiles with her katana. The soldiers that had been charging with Doya diverted their attention to the raven-haired assassin and shouted at one another to kill her as well as to be careful of her blade.

With the pressure off of him, Takeo glanced at Theo and saw him on the defensive. He didn't know who to help, but after remembering who Akame was, he decided to help Theo.

Kurome watched as Takeo charged at Henter from behind, and said to Natala. "Natala, do you mind helping Henter out? He may be very skilled, but I feel like they might be able to overpower him, so do you mind giving him a hand?"

Natala didn't say anything, nor did he nod his head in acknowledgment. He just simply aimed his weapon at where Takeo was running, and the weapon obeyed his will and extended towards the running man.

Theo, who saw the weapon coming at Takeo out of the corner of his eye, shouted at Takeo. "Takeo, behind you!"

Time seemed to slow down for Takeo as he turned around, for he was able to witness the blade at the last second run right through his abdomen.

As he released a gasp, Theo yelled at the top of his lungs. "Takeo!"

Unfortunately, Takeo didn't seem to hear the words. All he could seem to focus on was the blade that retracted itself from him before falling backwards onto the ground.

Akame upon hearing Theo's scream quickly cut down the opponent in front of her, and turned around only to witness Takeo's fall.

 _"N-No."_ She said to herself as she stared at the motionless figure on the ground. _"Not another one."_

She may not have known Takeo for long, but he was a comrade, and seeing him die pained her heart. Unfortunately though, she wasn't able to mourn for him, for she had to focus on the man that was about to cut her down from behind.

While blocking Henter's daggers, Theo stared at Takeo's body. A part of him was hoping that he'd get back up, but after several seconds of him laying there, Theo accepted the reality.

Takeo was dead.

Looking at the dead man in front of him, Theo said, "You're going to pay for what you guys just did. That's a promise."

* * *

" _Rukt_ , bring ruin and destruction to my enemies! Destroy the very lands they walk on with grand tremors!" Ieyasu roared as he slammed the warhammer that was glowing at the moment on the ground causing the ground that was hit to crack.

Dr. Stylish, who had moved away earlier to a safer place, couldn't help from watching with a look of fascination as the ground split, and a handful of his Pawns fell into the crevices.

 _"Beautiful! That Imperial Arm of his is obviously meant to destroy people's lands, but after training with it, he's learned how to use it in combat! Oh, how ingenious of him!"_ Dr. Stylish praised as he continued to observe the young male, who swatted down a Pawn that had leaped at him.

He had yet to send in his more important pieces into the fight, and the reason why was because he wanted to see his opponents' skills, for he was a smart man, and wanted to know what to look out for.

"Dr. Stylish, this Trooma wants to fight." His knight whined in hopes that Dr. Stylish would let him join in on fighting Night-Raid.

"Same, the small fry aren't making any progress. I want to fight as well." His Bishop stated as he watched a Pawn get their head chopped off by Jericho.

Dr. Stylish released a sigh of annoyance upon hearing their complaints. He believed it was too early for his important pieces to get involved. What caused him to think this was because he believed that his opponents still had many cards up their sleeves, and he didn't to lose his valuable pieces in meaningless attacks. No, if he was going to have them die, then he wanted them to die with a purpose.

"Don't worry, my lovely Knight and Bishop will get to fight soon, you just need to wait a little bit longer." Dr. Stylish stated as he looked at the two of them with a smile that they considered to be majestic.

"Dr. Stylish..." They said with faint red cheeks. At first, they had feared what Dr. Stylish was going to do them, but in actuality, the experiments he performed on them made them stronger than ever, and because he treated them with care, they had an undying loyalty to him.

As he directed his attention back towards the members of Night-Raid, Dr. Stylish thought to himself. _"Kaku, isn't wrong though, so far my lesser Pawns aren't making any progress, I think maybe it's about time I send some of the mid-class, and higher tier Pawns to attack them."_

Deciding that there was nothing wrong with unleashing his stronger Pawns, Dr. Stylish yelled. "Advance Pawns come forward! Your King has need of you!"

The members of Night-Raid had heard the shout, but because they were surrounded by dozens upon dozens of Dr. Stylish's Pawns, they weren't able to see the fifteen large, and muscular men, who looked identical to one another, come from the inner parts of the castle.

The new Pawns had immediately rushed over to Dr. Stylish, who patiently waited for them.

Once they were in front of him, Dr. Stylish said to the fifteen men. "My strong, and beautiful Pawns! I, Your King, need you to defeat those three men over there."

The sixteen men followed Dr. Stylish's finger, and saw the three people fending off against the lesser Pawns.

"They are apart of Night-Raid, and are killing your friends, who are stylishly defending me, Your King." Dr. Stylish stated as he clasped his hands over his heart in a dramatic way. "I am entrusting you, my strongest Pawns in killing them, but if possible please capture one of them alive."

"We will not fail you, My King!" The Pawns roared before charging off to assist the lesser Pawns, which caused a grin to appear on Dr. Stylish's face, and replace the tragic look he had written on it before.

 _"I highly doubt you will succeed in defeating them, but it doesn't matter."_ He thought to himself as he pushed his glasses up with his right hand's middle finger. _"With you guys joining the fray it will give them no choice, but to reveal which their Imperial Arms abilities, which will then tire them out, and give the important pieces the chance they need to defeat them."_

As Jericho slew another one of Dr. Stylish's Pawns by decapitation, he saw five large, and identical men in the distance sprinting full speed at him.

 _"Tch, I'm really going to need a drink after all this to forget this, men in tights is just a horrendous sight."_ He said to himself with a trace of disgust in his voice before casually raising his sword up without even looking and catching another Pawn who had leaped at him from his right.

Deciding that it was time to actually use his Imperial Arm, Jericho withdrew his two-handed sword from the now dead Pawn, and gripped it with both hands, which made a spectral glow appear and coat the sword from the crossguard up. He then thought of the ability he wanted to use, and with the thought in mind, he swung the blade horizontally, which caused it to release a wave of green like energy.

The wave of energy collided with several of the lesser Pawns who were in front of him, and to Dr. Stylish's amazement, it cut through their flesh and bone as if it was butter. However, just from that one attack, Dr. Stylish saw a number of things, and one of those things was that it had a short range. While it may have been great in dealing with a large party in front of the wielder, the distance it would travel before disappearing into thin air was rather short.

As the members of Night-Raid continued to get rid of his Pawns with their Imperial Arms abilities, Dr. Stylish started to laugh while saying to himself. _"Heheh, while it may be a tragedy to lose all of those experiments, I now know how to combat you all! Let us begin the main event, Night-Raid!"_

* * *

Esdeath had a bored expression written on her face as she listened to the Prime Minister talk about things she found to be uninteresting and dull.

She had currently been in this meeting with several of the high ranking members of the Empire with Liver and Run for about two hours now, and so far they had yet to talk about anything that she found interesting. So far, it had only been topics about troop movements, and how much currency the Empire could spend.

This had slightly agitated her, for she had thought that she was going to give a report about Night-Raid, and then be on her way, but that wasn't the case. Instead, these old men just sat around discussing boring topics, and every ten minutes ask for her thoughts on said topics.

"Anyways, I do think it would be best if we had Commander Thursgurd fall back from Fort Kodiak to Fort Harrenhal, and be stationed there. Sure, we may lose a few towns and villages in the South to the Revolutionary Army, but Fort Harrenhal has a more _strategic_ position. It would be far easier for the Commander and his men to keep them at bay there, than at Fort Kodiak." Koukei stated with a firm look that showed that he was determined to get his way in this subject.

"I disagree with that idea!" Seigi declared as he glared at the Minister of Military Affairs. "Abandoning Fort Kodiak will make us look weak, and if we look weak than more people will flock to the Revolutionary's cause-"

"If they flock to their cause, then they were never loyal to the Empire in the first place." Koukei interrupted with a small smile that vexed the other minister.

As the two began to argue, Esdeath released a sigh. She wouldn't mind if people flocked to the Revolutionary Army's cause, for that meant she had more people to kill, but because she was dealing with Night-Raid at the moment, the odds of fighting the vanguard of the Revolutionary Army was nonexistent.

Liver, who was standing behind her chair, looked at Esdeath upon hearing her sigh and said to her. "Is everything alright, my lady?"

"Yes, Liver." She answered as the Prime Minister cast her a look. "Everything is fine, I'm just-"

Watching Esdeath's brows furrow, the Prime Minister said with an expression of confusion. "General Esdeath?"

"Run, Liver we're leaving, right now." Esdeath stated after a few seconds of silence, her expression was one of seriousness and there was no trace of emotions in her voice.

"Wha- General Esdeath! Where are you going?" The Prime Minister questioned in surprise as she began to make her way to the exit with both member of the Jaegers behind her. They were both confused, but had assumed that she was going to explain what was going on soon.

The Ministers who were gathered had ceased their debating with each other and looked at Esdeath with confused looks as well.

"Tatsumi is in danger." She stated without looking back in a voice loud enough that reached everyone's ears. "I don't know what's going on, but I know he's in danger, and needs my help."

* * *

Tatsumi gritted his teeth as he slid back a couple of feet. He had been fighting Bulat for who knows how long, and he had yet to make any progress in defeating the man.

He had landed countless blows to the armored warrior, but none of them were considered a successful attack, which made him wonder if he could defeat the man.

As Bulat charged him for the seventh time, Tatsumi pushed these doubtful thoughts to the side and avoided the attacks he sent him. If he couldn't defeat the man, then his only option was to wait for back up to arrive or for Wave to defeat his opponent.

Thinking about Wave, Tatsumi glanced over at his comrade and saw that he wasn't fairing any better than him.

Unlike Bulat's armor, which barely had any dents in it, Wave's armor was battered, had multiple dents, and looked like it was on the verge of breaking. This surprised Tatsumi, for when he had last saw Wave, it was he who was winning the fight, but now it looked like he was going to lose it.

"You shouldn't take your eyes off of the person you're dancing with, Tatsumi!" Bulat roared causing the brown haired male to look back at him, and avoid yet again another blow that would have killed him.

Blocking and dodging several more fast strikes, Tatsumi thought to himself. _"Not good, if this keeps up then it's only going to be a matter of time before my spear breaks."_

Tatsumi had been paying attention to his spear throughout the fight, and had noticed that every time he blocked, or deflected one of Bulat's attacks, his spear would take damage. At first, this wasn't a problem, but as time passed, he became aware that if the fight doesn't come to an soon, then his weapon would break. Either the shaft would break due to him blocking _Neuntote,_ or the blade would break due to him deflecting _Neuntote_.

As Bulat continued to assault Tatsumi, the prince tried to think of a way to penetrate his armor, but so far he couldn't think of anything, which annoyed him greatly.

After avoiding a couple more attacks, Tatsumi went on the offensive and thrusted his blade forwards three times. He aimed for Bulat's gut, chest, and head. Only two out of the three attacks hit their target, but like before it didn't have any desirable effect on the armor. It had pierced the armor, but the blade didn't go far enough to where it would cause Bulat harm.

With his lips forming a frown, he moved away from the armored warrior.

"It's pointless to resist, Tatsumi." Bulat declared as he lowered his weapon to where the blade was pointed at the ground and looked at him. "You lack the tools to defeat me, so give up now. There's no reason to prolong this fight."

"You know, you kind of remind me of Esdeath." Tatsumi responded after exhaling deeply which made Bulat's brows furrow, and his eyes narrow. However, Tatsumi couldn't see these actions due to the helmet that covered Bulat's face. "I mean, you're not exactly like her, but you do have some similar traits."

"I am nothing like her." Bulat denied, seeping into his voice.

"If you say so." Tatsumi said before closing his eyes. He knew he wasn't going to win the fight. What Bulat said was true, he did lack the tools to defeat him, but that didn't mean he was going to give up. That wasn't who he was. He was the type of person that would continue fighting, even when he had no weapon in his hands, he'd still fight to the bitter end.

He was a warrior, and a true one at that.

Entering a guard stance with his spear pointed slightly upwards, Tatsumi said, "Anyways, I'm not going to give up. I didn't surrender to Esdeath, and she is ten times more powerful than you, so there's no way in hell I'm going to surrender to you. Even if my weapon breaks, I will still fight you."

Bulat was quiet as he listened to Tatsumi's declaration, and although he was still annoyed by his comment, he couldn't help from smirking a little bit. Theo had told him countless things about Tatsumi, and one of those things was Tatsumi's resolve. Once, he had it, it was practically impossible for him to lose it.

"Very well, Tatsumi." Bulat stated as he twirled the spear and entered a stance where _Neuntote's_ shaft hid behind his arm. "Let us end this as warriors then."

After that, the two stared at each other before charging at one another one last time.

* * *

 **(Revan's AN): And cut. I will not lie, there were choices that were made in this story. One of those choices was the fate of Elias. I had honestly thought about Bulat knocking Elias out, but it wouldn't have made any sense to me. Bulat was literally about to kill him before Wave and Tatsumi came charging in, and he would have spared him if Tatsumi surrendered, but he didn't so why let him live? It didn't make sense, so I decided it was best if he was killed, it's a shame, but it had to happen. Anyways, I don't think I have much to talk about so-wait I actually do and that's the name of Jericho's Imperial Arm. I'm not going to give all of the details away because that ruins it, but I will give the name so are you ready? Alright here it comes, it's _: Aether.**

 **I'll let you guys figure out the name part before Aether, and with that said, I'm going to go now.**

 **Link to the discord server:** discord .gg/ uDxVym8


	28. Rescuing The Prince Part II

**(Revan's AN): I have no words that need to be said.**

 **Full Summary:** Tatsumi Seika, the second son of Kaito Seika, was a rebellious child. Unlike his siblings, he didn't care about the duties of a prince, and after being told that he was going to marry some noblewoman, he ran away from home. Now, after five years of being away, Tatsumi has finally returned.

 **Non-canon, single-pairing, OOC Characters.**

* * *

 _"Flashbacks" -_ **Thinking**

"Flashbacks" - _**Talking**_

 _[Flashbacks]_ **\- Letters or Reports.**

 **Theme Song: Ten Million Voices, by Shaman's Harvest.**

 **Main Writer:** Revan the Edgelord

 **Co-Writer:** None.

* * *

As Ieyasu blocked the throwing knives, Trooma laughed hysterically.

"This is fun! This Trooma is enjoying the fight! What about you, little birdie? Are you enjoying this too!?" Trooma asked with a crazed smiled as he pulled out more throwing knives from his coat.

"This isn't a game." Ieyasu stated with a huff. He was feeling a little exhausted, but was confident that he could beat the redhead in front of him.

"It isn't?" Trooma questioned with a slightly confused look. "This Trooma thought we were just playing with each other, little birdie, but were you actually taking this serious?"

As Ieyasu opened his mouth to respond, Trooma threw his knives at him and charged him while pulling out two more knives.

He had successfully blocked the knives that were thrown at him with _Rukt_ , but unfortunately, Trooma was faster than he expected and slashed at him as he passed him.

Ieyasu released a grunt upon feeling the steel cut his arm, and couldn't help from clutching the wound as well as looking at it.

"It's people like you that piss this Trooma off." Trooma stated as he turned his head and looked at him with an angry expression written on his face, his voice cold and holding little emotion. "You take everything seriously and don't know how to have fun, and that irritates Trooma."

"Heh." Came the noise from Ieyasu's mouth after staring at his arm that had blood slowly seeping out of it. "You're pretty fast with those little daggers of yours. I'll give you that, but speed isn't going to save you from my judgment."

"Your judgment doesn't matter!" Trooma yelled as he threw one of his daggers at Ieyasu and charged him again. "The only judgment that matters is Dr. Stylish's!"

Meanwhile, Jericho planted his sword that was glowing a spectral green into the ground and said aloud in a low tone. "You're all fucked."

The Pawns that surrounded him tilted their heads in confusion, but that was all they could do before being set ablaze by green fire that surged from the ground beneath them.

A few of them had released a scream, but the green flames burned them quickly, so it didn't take long for it to reduce them to nothing but ashes.

As he lifted his sword out of the ground, Kaku said with disdain in his voice. "Incompetent fools, can't even kill one guy."

Jericho raised an eyebrow in response as he stared at the big man. The guy was Dr. Stylish's bishop apparently, and had declared earlier that he would be his opponent, but so far he has done nothing, but watched him fight the Pawns while criticizing them.

"What?" Kaku said as he looked at Jericho. "It's true. Their bodies had been blessed by Dr. Stylish's hands, and they still couldn't defeat you. Imperial Arm, or not, the fact remains that they were incompetent."

"You wanna give it a try then, buddy?" Jericho questioned as he twirled the glowing sword and entered a back right guard stance. "Or do you just wanna continue to sit back, and criticize from afar?"

"Tch, I don't even need to try against a weakling like you." Kaku arrogantly declared while unsheathing the massive blade that was strapped to his back. Jericho didn't even consider the weapon to be a sword. It was far too big to be considered a greatsword or claymore, and the longer he stared at it, the more he believed it to be a massive cleaver, for it was as thick as him.

"That's a big blade you got there." Jericho commented as he flexed his fingers on the hilt of his blade. He wasn't nervous or afraid, for he had fought worse things before, but that didn't mean he was cautious. Sure, the weapon was big and looked like it would be difficult to wield for any normal people, but Kaku wasn't normal by any means. He was a big burly man with massive metal hands that were bigger than his head.

"Yeah, I call it Widow's Wail." Kaku stated with a grin as he swung the blade a few times with ease. "Wanna know why?"

"Not really." Jericho responded with a disinterested look on his face and in his voice.

"Heh, it's because she's killed so many people in love right in front of their loved one." Kaku continued not even bothered by Jericho's response. "It never gets old, especially the wail they make upon seeing their loved one killed by it."

If Kaku was hoping to get under Jericho's nerves, then he failed, for all Jericho did in response to hearing this was release a yawn of boredom.

Now glaring at Jericho, Kaku says to him. "Act like that all you want, it doesn't matter. In the end, you're just a small fry that's going to fall to the mighty Kaku!"

He yelled the last part while rushing towards Jericho with the massive cleaver held high above his head which caused Jericho to shift to a hanging right guard stance.

As Kaku clashed with Jericho, Lubbock made a shield with his wires and blocked Toby's gun hand.

"Well, this is without a doubt, the most interesting fight I've ever been in." Toby stated as he pointed his gun hand up towards the sky, and had it transform back into his normal hand. "We're just a pair of genius' trying to kill one another."

"I'm sorry, but you're not a genius." Lubbock denied with a firm look earning himself a, "Oh?" from his opponent. "Unlike me, there is a limit of what you can do. I'll admit there are many things you can do, but the fact remains there is a limit. However, I have no limit. I have infinite ways of utilizing my Imperial Arm."

"I guess that is true." Toby agreed as Lubbock's wires wrapped around him. "However, what's the point of having infinite uses when it has no desirable effects?"

As he asked him this, the outside of Toby's right arm converted to a saw and cut the wires that bound him.

"Just because some moves don't work doesn't mean all of them don't work." Lubbock stated as he manipulated the wires that had just been cut to form a chained mace as well as some armor. "You just gotta keep on trying until you figure out what works, and what doesn't work."

"I see."

Meanwhile, as this was all going down, Dr. Stylish took notes. The reason why he did was because he was a cautious man, and if there was a chance his Knight, Bishop, and Rook were to lose their opponents, then he needed to write down how they were and the abilities that were displayed. That way when he faces Night-Raid again, he would be able to counter these three, but unlike this time he would be victorious.

* * *

After Theo declared that Henter was going to regret what they did, Theo swung his sword horizontally in an attempt to cut the man in half, but was unsuccessful due to him leaping backwards. He followed this attack up with an overhand strike, but once again was unsuccessful due to Henter avoiding the blade.

Theo wasn't deterred by this and believed that sooner or later his blade was going to connect with Henter.

Swinging his sword several more times, Theo tried to cut the robed man down, but was unsuccessful. Henter either avoided the blade completely, or deflected it with his dagger.

Kurome who had yet to move from her position behind Natala, called out to Theo. "It's frustrating, isn't it? You try and try again in hopes of killing him only for him to move out of the way with ease and evade the would be killing strike."

Theo didn't respond, but the reason why was because he was far too occupied with his opponent that her words didn't even register. His only thoughts at the moment was his sword, Henter's dagger, and Henter himself.

Because of him not responding, Kurome pouted slightly. She wouldn't say she was a sadist, but she did find it to be a little dull when her opponents were like this. The reason why was because she liked to play with them a little, like a cat when it played with its food.

However, her pout didn't last long, for when her eyes drifted over to Akame, she was able to witness her sister cut down the last soldier that was fighting her alongside her puppet, Doya.

"Huh, I guess I should probably get involved now." She said to herself as she took a step forward towards her sister only for Natala to put his arm in front of her.

Kurome was taken back by this, and tilted her head up to look at him, only to see in his eyes a tiny trace of concern in them.

"Don't worry, Natala." She said with a small smile as she gazed into her puppet's eyes. "Nothing bad is going to happen. I'm going to have you and Wall at my side to keep me safe."

Natala gazed at Kurome for some time before moving his arm and reverting his attention back to Akame. His eyes narrowed upon him seeing her figure.

After glancing at Wall and receiving an affirmative nod from him, Kurome also diverted her attention back to her older sister.

Grasping her katana with both hands Kurome said to herself before charging at her older sister. _"Big sis may be strong, but she's not strong enough to take on all four of us."_

Meanwhile, Theo continued to attack Henter fruitlessly. He had done multiple types of strikes in an attempt to kill him, but in the end he was getting the same result. Henter would either avoid his blade or deflect it with his dagger.

To make matters worse, he started to believe that his opponent was simply toying with him, for Henter wouldn't launch really any attacks in return, which was infuriating because Henter was smiling as he evaded him as well as occasionally giggling.

 _"Am I going to fail here?"_ Theo began to ask himself as he continued to strike at Henter who in response continued to dodge his blade. _"Is he just going to continue to evade my strikes until I'm all tired out and then finish me off?"_

He hadn't yet started to feel fatigue, but he knew that eventually he would run out of stamina and exhaustion would kick in. He wasn't like the members of Night-Raid who had an Imperial Arm that would boost not only their strength, but their stamina as well. He was just a man who was skilled with a sword.

With this negative thought affecting his mind, Theo's strikes started to become more, _tactless_.

While his attack speed did increase, it had come at the cost of them becoming more predictable and obvious.

As Henter evaded several more strikes that would have killed him, he laughed at Theo which infuriated him.

Growing more and more frustrated with him, Theo shouted at him. "Is this all you can do, coward? Stand and fight me!"

Henter, who had leaped several meters backwards to avoid the blow Theo sent him, stopped moving and stared at Theo. He didn't know this, but Henter was one of the few survivors of the Ban Tribe, he had escaped Esdeath's slaughter of his tribe by running away, and because of that cowardice he had grown to hate himself and vowed that he'd never run again from a fight.

Tightening his grip on his dagger, Henter released an enraged cry before closing the distance between him and the one-eyed warrior.

As he released this rage-filled scream, Takeo's head moved slightly, as he grabbed ahold of the greatsword's that was lying next to him. He felt weak, very weak and withered, but that didn't mean he was done yet. He still had some strength in him.

Turning over to where his belly was facing the ground, he began to rise to his feet. However, it wasn't easy at all, and took a toll on his weary body, but eventually, he was able to stand.

Using his greatsword as a support beam, Takeo looked down at his abdomen to see his injury. His armor had a hole in it, and was covered with not only his blood, but some dry blood from the people he had killed earlier. His pants, on the other hand, weren't soaked in blood, but there was a lot of blood on them that belonged to him.

Diverting his eyes elsewhere, Takeo saw the red-masked man attacking Theo relentlessly and driving him into a corner.

 _"I... I have to help him..."_ He said to himself as he took a step towards them only to collapse and fall onto the ground.

Kurome who had heard the sound of him hitting the ground averted her eyes away from her sister to see who had made the noise and saw Takeo struggling to get up onto all fours.

"Huh, I thought Natala had killed you, but I guess you have a strong will and refuse to die." She said aloud as her puppets kept her sister busy. "I like that."

No longer interested with her sister, at least for the time being, Kurome nonchalantly walked over to Takeo, who had managed to get onto his knees, and stepped on his back, which caused him to fall onto his chest once again and release a grunt that was filled with pain.

Raising the katana up, she said with a smile written on her face. "It's a shame that I didn't get to see your skills earlier, but I'm sure you'll be a fine addition to my collection."

After this declaration, she brought the blade down onto Takeo's nape. He emitted nothing upon feeling the blade pierce him, but he did have one final thought, and that thought was helping Theo.

Feeling his soul be absorbed into her sword, Kurome pulled her katana out of him and watched as his wound healed itself. While they weren't immortal, her puppets did have a healing factor, where the injuries they received would slowly heal. However, if they take too much damage, then they would be destroyed.

As the reanimated Takeo rose to his feet while picking up his greatsword, Kurome decided to have him help Henter finish off his opponent.

"Takeo was it?" She said after recalling what the one-eyed warrior shouted to him earlier causing the new puppet who was now on their feet to look at her. "Could you go assist Henter in finishing off your former comrade?"

Averting his attention towards the two males fighting Takeo's lips curved slightly downwards, and he spoke in a voice no louder than a whisper. "Theo..."

Seeing that he was hesitating, Kurome was taken back a little. While her puppets held their abilities and skills they had when they were alive, they also retained their strongest desires and personality as well.

The majority of her puppets were unique and collected individually, so she had never seen them hesitate in killing someone.

 _"Could he be resisting my command?"_ Kurome thought to herself as she stared at her new puppet who had still yet to move from his position beside her.

"Hey, I gave-" Kurome started only to be interrupted by the sound of the doors that the Night-Raid members entered through being busted down.

Diverting her attention to the doorway, Kurome watched as the former General, Najenda and a tall male with blue hair and horns entered the garden. She wasn't the only one who had done this. In fact, both the Night-Raid members and her puppets had ceased their fighting to see who had just appeared.

"Well, this is an unexpected surprise," Kurome said, breaking the silence that filled the area. "I didn't think you'd be here and be the one spearheading this assault."

Najenda didn't say anything to Kurome. She instead ignored her, and looked at her subordinates, and said to them. "Akame, Theo, we're leaving."

"Understood." Akame said with a nod before quickly moving away from the puppets before they had a chance to stop her.

"Leaving?" Kurome said with surprise in her voice causing Najenda to focus on her. "Do you think I'm going to let you, and big sis leave?"

At first, Najenda didn't say anything. Her focus had shifted somewhat to Takeo who was still standing next to her. A sense of sadness plagued her heart upon seeing him. He may not have been apart of Night-Raid for long, but she knew he was a good man and didn't deserve this fate.

"You're in no position to stop us." Najenda declared before looking at her Imperial arm and saying to him. "Susanoo?"

Not needing to be told anything else. Susanoo in a blink of the eye covered the distance that was between him and Kurome and swung his stave like mace in a downwards motion.

However, he wasn't the only one who had covered ground quickly. Henter was the fastest of her puppets, and had moved away from Theo and saved Kurome's life by pushing her out of the way. Unfortunately for the puppet. This action resulted in him receiving the fatal blow from Susanoo's mace.

After rolling over to see what happened, Kurome yelled in anguish. "Henter!"

The puppet's head had been crushed completely, which meant he was gone. The blow he had suffered was too much for the healing factor.

"It seems, I had made a miscalculation and forgot to take account of her puppets' speed." Susanoo said as he looked at the remains of the puppet.

"Susanoo..." Spoke Takeo causing the blue haired male to look at him and see the troubled look on his face. His eyes had dropped downwards slightly, and he could see that his hand that was holding the greatsword was shaking.

"Takeo." Susanoo said in response. He knew the reason why Takeo was struggling. It was because his brain was still alive. After death, the brain could last for six minutes max, which in short meant that the reason why Takeo didn't move to assist Kurome was because he was resisting her commands.

"... Save Tatsumi." Takeo requested before disappearing due to Kurome deciding to store him away. She had already lost Henter and believed that the tall warrior would try to kill him, so she had decided to put him away to prevent that from happening.

"We will." Susanoo affirmed after a while. He would have tried to kill Kurome again, but her remaining puppets had moved to protect her, and Najenda had made it clear that they were pulling out.

With that said, Susanoo moved back to the doorway and left with Najenda and the rest.

* * *

Bulat released a sigh as he looked at Tatsumi who was currently sprawled on the ground, and unconscious. Their fight had ended not too long ago, and had ended with Bulat knocking him out with the end of _Neuntote_.

"You were a worthy opponent, Tatsumi." Bulat stated as he moved to pick up the knocked out prince. "Despite not having an Imperial Arm you fought well, and you fought valiantly, you'll forever have my respect."

After lifting him up and putting him on his shoulder, Bulat glanced over at Leone and saw her standing over her opponent who was up against the wall. The black and blue armor that encased him was gone, and laying at his side was a sword that looked similar to Incursio's key. His face was bruised, and had multiple cuts here and there.

"That was fun, Wave." Leone stated as she stared down at the man who was barely retaining consciousness. "You weren't as tough as I thought you'd be, but you were nonetheless tough."

"I-I'm not done, yet." Wave declared in between breaths as he looked up at her. Due to his hair falling down and covering the right side of his face, he glared at her with one eye.

"But you are." Came Bulat's voice as he approached the two of them causing Wave to shift his attention towards him and see Tatsumi slung over his shoulder like he was game.

"Tatsumi..." Wave said before attempting to get up only to fail and sit back down.

Releasing a groan that was full of both pain and frustration, Wave yelled. "You fucking bastards, I'm going to make sure you all face the justice you deserve."

Neither of them said anything in response; they both just looked at him with pity.

From what Chelsea had told them, Wave was a good guy and had never been to the Capital City before, so he didn't know what was actually going on in the Capital. He wasn't aware of what the majority of the nobles do to commoners, and he wasn't aware of the fact that the Prime Minister was manipulating the Emperor. He was oblivious to it all, for he had never seen any of this.

"... Maybe, but today's not that day." Bulat stated after a while before glancing over at his companion. "Leone, take his Imperial Arm."

"Understood." Leone complied.

"Wha-No! You can't!" Wave shouted as the blonde woman crouched down and picked up the sword that was laying next to him. "Stop! You can't take that, my mentor gave me it!"

Leone, however, ignored his pleads and even swatted his hand away when he tried to take it from her.

"I'm sorry, but-"

"Please don't take it." Wave interrupted Bulat in a low tone as he looked up at him with a begging look in his eyes. "It's all I have left of him."

At first, Bulat was silent and had thought about telling Leone to leave it, but after remembering that Wave was a Jaeger, and their enemy, he resolved himself and said to him. "I'm sorry, but you're our enemy, and the Revolutionary Army needs all the Imperial Arms it can get."

"No, please." Wave begged as he tried to get up again, only to fail. His legs had given out on him. "Please don't take it."

Not bothering to look at him anymore, Bulat said to Leone. "Let's go, Leone. We've got what we came here for."

"Roger that." Leone agreed before turning around and walking away alongside Bulat.

 _"C-Come back!"_ Wave thought to himself as he started to get up, only to fall flat on his face. _"Please come back. Give me back Grand Chariot, I beg of you."_

As he watched them leave the room, Wave slammed his fist onto the ground, it didn't hurt much due to him lacking strength, but it was the thought that counted.

"You're going to regret this, Night-Raid. I'll make sure your heads are all mounted on the walls of the Capital City, this I swear before the Gods."

He wasn't a person who believed in Gods, but he wanted them to know that no one was going to stop him from achieving this goal.

* * *

Ieyasu clicked his tongue in annoyance as he looked at the injury he had earned from Trooma.

The two of them had been fighting for a while now, and although he hadn't landed a single blow on Dr. Stylish's Knight, he had been able to avoid Trooma's most fatal strikes.

"You know, for someone who's suppose to be very fast, you're quite slow." Ieyasu stated as he glanced over at the redhead who held two daggers in his hands. The man had run out of throwing knives, so he had resorted to fighting with his daggers.

He had thought that Ieyasu would be clumsy and slow with the massive warhammer, and wouldn't be able to avoid his fast strikes at point blank range, but Ieyasu had proven him wrong, and there was a simple reason why he wasn't slow or clumsy.

The reason why was because the warhammer weighted practically nothing to Ieyasu. One of the perks of wielding _Rukt_ was that the warhammer was as heavy as a pillow for the wielder, which in short meant he could wield it with ease.

However, because not many people knew about this, Ieyasu would act sometimes like he was exhausted to fool his opponents.

"This Trooma has just been going easy on you." Trooma said in response. "If this Trooma wanted to kill you, then this Trooma would have done it already."

"Really?" Ieyasu said with a skeptical look written on his face.

"Yeah, this Trooma has been enhanced by Dr. Stylish and his glorious hands, so there is no way this Trooma can lose to the likes of you!' Trooma declared as he dashed towards Ieyasu who grinned slightly.

"Enhancements won't save you from my landfall!' Ieyasu roared as he swung the two-handed weapon down at the ground causing the ground in front of him to release a ripple.

"You're predict..." Was what he started to say as he leaped into the air only to lose his voice when seeing that Ieyasu had prepared for him to do this.

"Gotcha." Ieyasu stated before throwing his warhammer at Trooma.

While it may not have weighted anything to Ieyasu, it weighed a ton for the people who weren't capable of wielding it, so when Trooma was hit by it, it felt like he had been hit by a boulder.

Trooma had survived the blow, but in Ieyasu's mind, he believed it would have been better if he had been killed by it, for the majority of his bones were broken upon the weapon colliding with him.

Closing the distance between him, and the downed knight, Ieyasu looked down at him and saw that he was struggling to breathe.

"As I said before, you won't escape my judgment." Ieyasu stated as he lifted his warhammer off of him.

"H-How..." Trooma gasped as he stared up at him. "Trooma, Trooma was blessed, by Dr. Stylish... H-How, did Trooma, lose?"

"You lacked an Imperial Arm, and didn't take the fight seriously at the start." Ieyasu said in response. "Had you fought smart at first, then there might have been a different outcome, but you believed that you were better because of what someone did to you. That was your mistake."

"I... I see." Trooma said before closing his eyes and accepting what was to come.

...

...

...

As Jericho blocked Kaku's massive cleaver, Kaku said with a smile. "For a small fry, you're surprisingly strong."

Jericho said nothing in response. He just simply pushed his blade away, and then followed this action up with a left overhand strike, and a right overhand strike.

Kaku blocked both strikes with his cleaver and started to chuckle.

"It's useless to fight back, small fry." He taunted as he blocked three more strikes with his large blade. "I can barely feel any power behind your attacks! Are you even trying to kill me?"

"... You know, I remember when I was younger you didn't try befriending your enemy and bore them to death with pointless talk. You actually tried to kill them with the weapon in your hands." Jericho stated in a slightly irritated voice as he entered a back right stance again.

At this, Kaku snorted. "And I remember hearing about how Night-Raid was full of strong people, but clearly the rumors I heard were wrong. You're the biggest letdown of the century. To think that my first fight with a Night-Raid member is with a toothpick like you."

"Congratulations, you finally stopped calling me small fry, and used a different word as an insult," Jericho said in a taunting manner. "I'm proud of you. Here I thought you were just some big oaf who didn't know anything besides the word small fry."

"Heh, you're a cocky one, aren't you?" Kaku questioned before swinging the large weapon at his opponent who didn't even bother blocking the attack. The attack was so obvious that the word _feint_ didn't even cross his mind at all.

Blocking the second strike, and guiding it away from his body, Jericho said, "You know, I didn't think about taunting you, but now I'm starting to feel like I should. Your sword skills are heavily lacking. It makes me wonder if this is your first time fighting someone with that thing."

"I've told you before I've killed tons of people with it! That's why it's called Widow's Wail!" Kaku shouted as he swung his left hand at Jericho while keeping a hold on his cleaver with his right hand.

Jericho ducked to avoid the strike, and said in response. "I know, but what I'm asking is that have you ever _killed_ someone with that thing that was fighting back with a _weapon_?"

"Of course!" Kaku boasted as he lifted his pinned cleaver up, and swung it at Jericho with one hand multiple times, who evaded the majority of his slashes, due to them being very, very _predictable_. "I would have never made it as Dr. Stylish's Bishop if I wasn't skilled in fighting!"

"Alright, maybe I should have been a little more specific." Jericho said as their weapons clashed with one another. "I meant have you ever fought someone that was skilled in combat?"

"You..." He started as he clenched his teeth and tightened his grip on the handle. "You're looking down on the great Kaku!"

As he roared this, Kaku pushed Jericho back with his cleaver and launched dozens of attacks that came from all angles. He sent overhand, sideways, underhand, and many more.

Kaku had attacked him at a fast pace and had thought that he had gotten Jericho here, but Jericho was an expert swordsman, and although the attacks had power behind them they lacked etiquette. In Jericho's eyes, it looked as if he was swinging a stick at him.

Guiding the last blow away from his body and towards the ground once again, Jericho used the opportunity he was given and launched a strike of his own. However, he didn't aim for Kaku's body, he aimed for the hand that was holding the large cleaver.

Swinging the glowing sword downwards with both hands, Jericho sliced the metal easily as if it was butter. The attack was also so fast and clean that it didn't even look like anything happened, but after about three seconds, when Kaku attempted to lift up his weapon, only his wrist up moved. His hand, and the cleaver didn't move at all.

"Wha... My, My arm!" Kaku gasped before screaming and clutching his wrist that was missing his hand. He had traded his hands all the way up to his elbows for metallic hands like some of Dr. Stylish's pieces, so he wasn't bleeding, but that didn't change the fact that the sensation he felt was a painful one.

As Kaku stumbled backwards and collapsed to the ground while clutching his wrist, Jericho walked over to him and pointed the sword that was glowing a spectral green at Kaku's throat.

"Any last words, small fry?" Jericho taunted causing Kaku to look up at him.

"M-Mercy." He stuttered as he raised his remaining hand up, signaling that he was surrendering.

"Mercy?" Jericho repeated with a look of surprise. "The great Kaku who believes everyone besides him is a small fry wants mercy?"

"Please..." Kaku said in a begging tone with a pleading look in his eyes. "I... I don't want to die... I'm not ready to die yet."

Jericho said nothing in response. He just stared at Kaku, who had closed his eyes, and continued to ask for mercy and say that he wasn't ready to die yet.

After a few seconds, Jericho reached his decision. His decision was a quick death, a death that Kaku honestly didn't deserve, but a death he got, for Jericho was a slightly merciful man.

As he pulled his blade out of the now dead man, Jericho also pulled out his flask, and said to himself. "How unbecoming of him, he pissed himself."

...

...

...

With Lubbock's wires wrapped around Toby, Ieyasu brought his warhammer down on his head. The attack not only killed him, but it had also crushed his skull completely.

"I had that." Lubbock said with a trace of annoyance as Ieyasu rested the large hammer on his left shoulder.

"I know, but he was the last enemy, and we don't have time to waste. We need to have this place secured for when the others come running out." Ieyasu replied as Jericho walked over to them.

Not long after Ieyasu said this, did the infiltration teams come running out of the castle. Although, there were fewer of them than before.

Both, Sheele and Takeo weren't with them.

"Boss, where's-" Lubbock started as Najenda and the others ran towards them.

"I'll explain later, but right now is not the best time. We need to leave." Najenda stated as she came to a halt before the three men.

Deciding not to ask any questions, Lubbock said in response. "Understood, I'll call Chelsea now."

With that said, Lubbock pulled out a whistle that he was keeping in his pocket and blew it.

* * *

 **(Revan's AN): And cut. The ending could have been better I think, but it will do, so I will allow it. Anyways, I don't think I have anything to say. I mean, at least at the moment. I enjoyed writing the scenes, and I'm looking** **forward to these next chapters, but for the time being, I got nothing to say, so I'll just end it now. I'll see you guys later.**

 **Link to the discord server:** discord .gg/ uDxVym8


	29. Rescuing The Prince Part III

**(Revan's AN): I have no words that need to be said.**

 **Full Summary:** Tatsumi Seika, the second son of Kaito Seika, was a rebellious child. Unlike his siblings, he didn't care about the duties of a prince, and after being told that he was going to marry some noblewoman, he ran away from home. Now, after five years of being away, Tatsumi has finally returned.

 **Non-canon, single-pairing, OOC Characters.**

* * *

 _"Flashbacks" -_ **Thinking**

"Flashbacks" - _**Talking**_

 _[Flashbacks]_ **\- Letters or Reports.**

 **Theme Song: Ten Million Voices, by Shaman's Harvest.**

 **Main Writer:** Revan the Edgelord

 **Co-Writer:** None.

* * *

Esdeath had a scowl written on her face.

She, Liver, and Run had returned to the Jaegers' Headquarters not that long ago only to be greeted by liters of corpses, the corpses of Dr. Stylish's men, and the corpses of her men.

The sight of dead men usually didn't trouble her at all, but this time it did.

After seeing all the corpses, Esdeath quickly rushed into the castle, and began searching for Tatsumi. She didn't even bother giving any orders to her two subordinates, for she had forgotten they were there.

At first, Esdeath was calm, and had told herself repeatedly that Tatsumi was okay, and that there was no way he would have died in the attack, but as she searched the more and more of the castle with no signs of him at all, her concern grew.

Eventually, she arrived at one of the courtyards, where an injured Wave and dead Elias was, and demanded to know where Tatsumi was, for she recalled the two of them hanging out before she left the castle.

He didn't respond at first, which caused her to act more emotional, and start to shake him, but eventually, he did.

However, the words he said were.

 _"He's gone_."

Esdeath didn't understand what he meant by that, and had asked him to elaborate more, in which he said to her.

 _"They took him... Night-Raid attacked, and they, they took him."_

Upon hearing that, Esdeath asked for more information, but unfortunately, Wave passed out at that moment, so she was unable to get any more info from him, which has led to this moment.

Gathered in the meeting room with her, were not only the surviving Jaegers, but the officers of her army.

"... So, you're all telling me that Night-Raid, a group that attacks solely in the night, decided to attack in broad daylight while I was away, and not only managed to kidnap _Tatsumi_ , the man I love, but kill three Jaegers, and the majority of my elite soldiers?" Esdeath stated in a tone that sent shivers down all of their spines.

"Yes." Bols answered with a reluctant nod. Even though, He and Seryu defeated Sheele of Night-Raid, that didn't exempt them from attending this meeting and hearing what Esdeath had to say to them.

Esdeath took a deep breath.

She had almost snapped upon hearing that word, but was able to get control of herself. As much as she wanted to punish her subordinates for their failures, she knew she needed them in order to get Tatsumi back.

After taking several more deep breaths, Esdeath said in a calm voice. "I want search parties outside of the city, now. Search every crevice in a fifty-mile radius, and find them. They couldn't have gotten far."

"Yes, General Esdeath." Her officers said in unison before heading to the exit of the room.

However, before they could leave the room, Esdeath said one more thing. "Let this all be known that I will no longer tolerate failure. If any of you fail me, then don't bother returning, for I will torture you to death. Is that understood?"

"Y-Yes, General Esdeath." The officers replied, this time a little more hesitant in their responses.

Once they had left the room, Esdeath looked at her Jaegers.

"We're going to be stationed at the palace from now on." Esdeath said after a few seconds of staring. "This place is compromised, and my men who guarded it were a letdown. To prevent an incident like this from ever happening again, we'll stay at the Emperor's palace."

The Jaegers said nothing in response, which caused Esdeath to sigh.

" I am proud of you all. You all held your own against members of Night-Raid, and even killed a couple of them, which is something that makes me happy, but that just isn't enough to put me in a good mood." Esdeath said after a few seconds of silence.

"Tatsumi was taken from me." Esdeath declared in a firm tone. "He is the man I love with all my heart, and he was taken from me. We may have been enemies once, but that was in the past, now we are lovers, and Night-Raid has stolen him from me."

"I'm sure they're not going to-"

"It doesn't matter what they're going to do and not do, Run." Esdeath coldly interrupted causing the blonde to fall silent. "He was taken from me, and I want him back."

"What would you have us do, my lady?" Liver asked after a few seconds of silence.

"For now, nothing." Came Esdeath's response after several seconds of consideration. "I have to speak with the Prime Minister first, but once I'm done speaking with him, I'll have tasks for you all. Until then, rest."

With that said, Esdeath dismissed the Jaegers.

Once they had left the room, Esdeath let loose the rage she was holding in.

She flipped the table she had been leaning on over, and yelled at the top of her lungs. "Who does she think she is!?"

The person she was referring to was Najenda, the leader of Night-Raid, and a former comrade of hers.

As the table crashed onto the floor, Esdeath continued to yell. "I spared her life, and this is how she repays me?"

In reality, Esdeath had planned on killing Najenda that day, but because the Revolutionary Army's main forces arrived, and her army was tired she was forced to retreat and let Najenda live.

Grabbing one of the chairs that weren't knocked over by the flipped table, she threw it at the wall causing it to break into pieces.

"She's going to regret this." She said to herself as the room's temperature started to drop fast. "All of them are going to regret taking Tatsumi from me. I'll hunt them down, every single one of them will be hunted down like dogs, and when I find them, they'll pay for what they did."

The ground beneath Esdeath soon started to freeze over as she continued to rant about what she would do to the members of Night-Raid.

"I'll make them regret stealing Tatsumi from me."

* * *

Upon opening his eyes, Tatsumi wasn't greeted by the sight of a ceiling or wall he was familiar with at all. He also didn't feel Esdeath pressed up against him, which was a little strange, for when he usually woke up, he would wake up to the sensation of her sexuality pressed up against him.

Closing his eyes and opening them again, Tatsumi was welcomed to the sight of the same ceiling he had just seen a second ago, and frowned slightly.

 _"Where am I?"_ He thought to himself before sitting up and looking around only to see that he was in a room that he didn't know at all.

With his frown deepening, Tatsumi tried to think of what day it was, but couldn't remember it for some odd reason.

It was strange because he remembered falling asleep alongside Esdeath in her extravagant room, so he was curious about how he ended up in this, not so extravagant room.

Deciding that the only way to find out was to leave room, Tatsumi got out of bed and began to make his way to the door.

As he did this, Tatsumi noticed that he was wearing the clothes that Esdeath had gotten fitted specifically for him, which was another strange thing, for he didn't remember falling asleep in them.

 _"This is probably a dream."_ He deduced as he reached the door and opened it only to hear the sound of someone softly snoring.

Stepping into the doorway, and looking to his left, Tatsumi saw a man with spikey black hair sleeping in a wooden chair that was cushioned. His arms were crossed and he had a small snot bubble, on the man's left was the shaft of what Tatsumi believed to be his weapon.

For a split second, Tatsumi's face was one of disgust, but that had quickly disappeared.

He was curious as to why the man was sleeping outside of his room, but decided not to ask, for he didn't know who he was.

He didn't look like a soldier of the Empire, and his weapon made him look more like a thug than a soldier's which made Tatsumi believe that he was either a bandit or a mercenary with his money being on the former, for there was no way in hell a paid sellsword would fall asleep on the job.

However, that didn't explain how he got here.

The last thing he remembered was falling asleep next to Esdeath, but because he woke up here, and in his clothes designed for combat, was it possible that he was attacked on patrol or something, and captured?

Hearing the man's snore, this time louder than before, caused Tatsumi to shake his head.

There was no way that happened. There was no way he and _Esdeath_ , the only person he goes on patrol with, could have been defeated by some brigands.

After looking at the black haired male for a few more seconds to make sure that he was asleep, Tatsumi took a step forward, and slowly closed the door behind him.

He had closed it as slowly and as quietly as he could, and had thought that he didn't wake the sleeping man, but as soon as he turned around and took a step forward, the sleeping man said to him.

"Where you going, Tatsumi?"

Tatsumi in response to hearing this, turned to his left and looked to see the black haired male staring at him. His arms were crossed in front of his chest still, and he had a look in his eyes that told him not to try anything stupid.

"... To have a look around since I don't know how I ended up here." He said after a few seconds of thinking. He had answered the question honestly, for he saw no reason to lie, and doubted any lie he would come up with would fool the guard.

"I guess Bulat knocked you out too hard." The man muttered to himself in a voice that wasn't low enough for Tatsumi not to hear.

"Bulat?" Tatsumi questioned with his lips curved slightly downwards. "Who's Bulat?"

The guardsman looked at Tatsumi for several seconds before answering his question. "Bulat is Bulat. Surely you've must have heard of him during your time with Esdeath, right?"

At first, he didn't say anything. He had recalled Esdeath talking about a Bulat a few times, but the Bulat she was talking about was the Hundred Man Slayer, who was a member of Night-Raid.

"You're telling me that Bulat, a member of Night-Raid, knocked me out?" Tatsumi asked with a skeptical look. Now, he didn't doubt that Bulat could knock him out, but he doubted that Bulat could knock him out and steal him away from Esdeath.

"Is it that hard to fathom?" The man said in response, his tone neutral.

"No, but it's hard to believe that he defeated Esdeath." Tatsumi replied quickly, doubt still written on his face.

"Man, you really don't remember what happened earlier today, do you?" The man said in a questioning manner.

"Apparently, I do. So do you mind informing me what happened?" Tatsumi requested in a respectful tone.

"Sure, but let's also go see the Boss. I'm pretty sure she told me to bring you to her upon you waking up, but I'm not too sure." The man said before getting up and grabbing his warhammer in the process, and resting it on his shoulder.

...

...

...

"And now we're here." Ieyasu declared, breaking the silence that had passed after he finished explaining what happened, who he was, and why they rescued him.

"So, she's in here?" Tatsumi as he examined the wooden doors before him. Just from quickly glancing at it, Tatsumi was able to tell that the doors were red oak.

"Yep." Ieyasu said as he looked at him. "After we rescued you, she locked herself up in there. She said she had some things to take care of so, and she hasn't come out, at least from what I know, so she might be a little cranky, but nonetheless, she's in there."

"I see..." Tatsumi replied as he continued to look at the double doors. After hearing that Theo was here, Tatsumi had originally wanted to go see him, but he had business to take care of with the leader of Night-Raid, so he had decided to meet with her first before reuniting with his comrade.

"Well, I would say I'd wait for you out here, but judging by that look on your face, I can tell you're going to be here for a while, so I'm going to return to my room. Uh, see ya around, Prince Tatsumi?" Ieyasu said the last part with a bit of uncertainty, for he wasn't certain if he should be addressing Tatsumi with formality. He had spoken to him earlier with informality, but that was different due to him not knowing the situation, now he did.

"... See ya around, Ieyasu." Tatsumi said after nearly twenty seconds of staring at the door, unaware that he had already left him.

Not long after he said this, Tatsumi opened the door, and was welcomed to the sight of Najenda who appeared to be waiting for him to enter.

"I was wondering when you were going to come in." Najenda said before gesturing to the seat across from her large desk, and saying to him. "Please, have a seat, Your Highness."

"It's been a while since someone has addressed me like that." Tatsumi said with a bit of amusement as he moved to take his seat at the seat she gestured for him.

"I don't doubt that." She replied with a small smile before getting up from her chair, and walking over to the right side of the room. "Want a drink, Your Highness?"

"No, I'm good, and you don't have to address me like that." Tatsumi answered as he shook his head slightly.

"You sure?" She questioned as she glanced over at him, while poured herself a drink. "It's just some red wine, nothing fancy."

"Yeah, I'm sure." Tatsumi affirmed.

"Alright then, if you're sure." Najenda said as she set the pitcher down and walked back to the desk with a red mug on it.

As she sat down, Tatsumi spoke. "I'm going to be straight with you, I can't go back to Espera, at least for the time being."

Najenda at first said nothing, but that was because she was taking a sip of her drink. However, once she finished taking a sip, she said to him. "Explain why?"

"Esdeath." Tatsumi stated as he stared into her one eye. "If she catches wind that I'm in Espera, then she'll come for me, and she'll kill every Espera in her sight until I'm back with her. I can't risk that."

"That does sound like something Esdeath would do, but you see I highly doubt she would do that, at least to you." Najenda said with a nod of her head before frowning. "You see, your brother, the King of Espera, asked the Revolutionary Army to rescue you, and deliver you to him, but I'm not so sure we could say we rescued you. After all, from what our spy told us, you slept with Esdeath and were very close to her. To me it looks like we abducted you, wouldn't you agree?"

"I do, but you think I wanted all of that?" Tatsumi declared as traces of anger seeped into his voice. "You think I wanted to get close to her? Do you think I wanted a part of myself to fall in love with her? Trust me, I didn't, but after what she did to me, what choice did I have?"

Najenda was silent for a while, she just stared at Tatsumi, but eventually, she broke the silence by saying to him. "I don't know, but I do know you fought my subordinates, so it kind of looks like it changed sides."

"Yeah, because he wouldn't tell me why he was there." Tatsumi said in his defense. "All I knew was that he was apart of Night-Raid, and from what I recalled you were a bunch of cutthroats and didn't help that they said, I was their target. Tell me, would you comply if you didn't know why they were there except that you were their target?"

Again, Najenda was silent. She, in all honesty, didn't want to argue Tatsumi, but she needed to know where his loyalties lied. If there was a chance his loyalties lied with Esdeath, then she needed to find out now.

"It doesn't matter, but what does matter is that you are close to Esdeath, and have confessed that you love her." Najenda stated as her eyes narrowed slightly. Her voice was neutral, which made it difficult to tell if she was upset with him.

"Yes, a part of me has come to love her, but I also hate her." Tatsumi agreed before spitting out that he hated her. "That _thing_ , did so much to me. I was beaten, I was starved, I was practically trained not to trust my own thoughts because of her. My mind was torn into pieces because of her, and every day I have to hear _them_ argue with one another about what I should do! Even now _they_ 're arguing about what I should do!"

As Tatsumi told more, his voice started to rise. Eventually, it got to the point where he was shouting the words at her.

However, despite him raising his voice with her, Najenda remained calm. She had dealt with people yelling in her face many times, so she could handle him yelling at her.

After he stopped yelling at her, she asked him two questions.

"What do you mean by _them_? Whose voices are you hearing?"

Tatsumi said nothing. He had never mentioned the alters before to anyone, even to Esdeath.

"It's nothing..." He answered as he looked away only to cause Najenda's eye to narrow and look at him with a skeptical expression. "I'm serious it's nothing."

"It didn't sound like nothing." Najenda swiftly responded. "It sounds like you were suffering, and from what I recall you just said that your mind was torn to pieces, so I ask you again, what do you mean by _them_?"

Releasing a sigh, Tatsumi said to her. "After Esdeath made it to where I couldn't think for myself, she started to treat me differently. Instead of beating me, she was affectionate. My or _our_ mind couldn't handle it, and two... Personalities, I would say were born. Every day _they_ argue with one another, and try to influence _their_ will on me."

"And what do _their_ wills want?" The silver-haired woman asked with a bit of curiosity in her voice after a couple of seconds of silence.

"A lot of things," Tatsumi answered as he lowered his head. "and it's starting to get to the point where I don't even know what I want. My dreams aren't my dreams anymore. They're _their_ dreams and nightmares."

"It sounds like you need help." Najenda stated as she stared at the prince. She had heard of people suffering from these types of disorders, but she didn't know how to treat them.

"... Yeah, I do." He agreed after a while.

After taking another sip of her drink, Najenda set her mug down and pulled out one of her cigars, and said before placing it in her mouth. "I can't help you, but I think I know some people who can help you."

Hearing this caused Tatsumi to look back up at her.

"Really?" He asked with surprise in his voice.

"Yeah." She answered as she lit the cigar. "If what you're saying is true, then you needed to get treated for this. Not to mention, there are some targets in that area, so taking you there before taking you to HQ will be no problem."

"Thank you." Tatsumi said with a small smile causing Najenda to chuckle.

"I wouldn't thank me yet. We still have to cut and dye your hair and make you not look like the soon to be poster of you." She said with a grin that made Tatsumi's smile vanish.

"What do you mean?" Tatsumi questioned with a frown.

"I mean Esdeath is probably having wanted posters of you made, so we need to make you not look like the man who'll be on the wanted poster." Najenda said with an even bigger grin as she got up and walked over to the right side of the room again. "Usually moving assets wouldn't be a problem, but because you're something Esdeath loves, she will make it incredibly difficult for us to move you. In fact, I bet she is also upping the bounty on our heads too, so traveling on foot is going to be hard if not impossible."

"I-I see..." Tatsumi stuttered, not liking the fact that his hair was going to not only be cut, but dyed as well.

"Good, I'm glad you understand." Najenda said as she opened one of the drawers and grabbed a couple of things that he couldn't see due to her being in the way. "Now, with that said, let's begin this haircut. It's been a while though since I've cut someone's hair, but I'm confident I'll make it to where you're unrecognizable."

Tatsumi could only gulp as she approached him with the comb and scissors. He didn't know why, but he had a feeling that she wasn't great at cutting hair, and was going to be a laughing stock once she was done with him.

* * *

 **(Revan's AN): Huuuh, I'm not entirely pleased with this chapter. Don't get me wrong I think it's fine, but it felt like my writing was off for this one. Maybe, it might just been because I was doing something I didn't plan on doing? I mean, I originally planned on writing this differently, but instead I wrote it like this. I don't know, I like it, but I also don't like it. Anyways, my boy is getting his looks altered and we actually have reasons as to why! That's like never been done before in fanfictions.**

 **Now, that was a shot, but I'm kind of also speaking the truth. How some people alter their character's looks is because of their powers or weapons. Which is understandable sometimes, and something I'll probably do, which is hypocrisy, I know, but my point is that they never alter it for actual reasons. The reasons why the MCs hair became silver suddenly is usually because they farted which makes no sense to me. (It's a joke, I'm not saying someone actually made their character's hair silver because they farted. I'm saying they do an ability that makes their hair permanently silver.)**

 **Anyways, I've ranted long enough, this chapter was an alright one, and with that said I'll go now. See you all in the next one.**

 **Link to the discord server:** discord .gg/ uDxVym8


	30. Untraveled Roads

**(Revan's AN): I have no words that need to be said.**

 **Full Summary:** Tatsumi Seika, the second son of Kaito Seika, was a rebellious child. Unlike his siblings, he didn't care about the duties of a prince, and after being told that he was going to marry some noblewoman, he ran away from home. Now, after five years of being away, Tatsumi has finally returned.

 **Non-canon, single-pairing, OOC Characters.**

* * *

 _"Flashbacks" -_ **Thinking**

"Flashbacks" - _**Talking**_

 _[Flashbacks]_ **\- Letters or Reports.**

 **Theme Song: Ten Million Voices, by Shaman's Harvest.**

 **Main Writer:** Revan the Edgelord

 **Co-Writer:** None.

* * *

Upon waking up, Wave saw a ceiling he wasn't familiar with. He also heard the sound of something rummaging through a bag from his left.

More curious about what was making that noise, Wave turned his head to the left, and saw Kurome sitting in a chair next to the bed eating some candy and reading a comic book.

"Kurome..." He said in a low and tired voice which caused the girl to cease her eating and look at him.

"Hey." She replied before turning the page and stuffing her face with some more candy.

"Whe-Where am I?" He asked as he slowly sat up. He had remembered fighting Night-Raid and remembered General Esdeath asking him questions about Tatsumi, but besides that, he didn't remember much.

"You're in your room inside the Emperor's palace." Kurome answered while continuing to read her comic book.

"My room in the Emperor's palace?" Wave said with a small frown. He didn't recall ever having a room in the ruler's palace, so he was curious about how he acquired one.

"Yep." Kurome affirmed as she grabbed a candy and tossed it into her mouth. She had noticed the frown on his face, and also said to him. "You know, I expected a little more of a reaction from you."

Wave was a little taken back by this comment, and couldn't help from looking away when he replied. "What do you expect? I lost Grand Chariot, Tatsumi got abducted, and Elias was killed. Of course, my reaction isn't going to be big."

Kurome said nothing in response. She wasn't close to either Tatsumi or Elias, so she wasn't that affected by losing them. Sure, she was a little upset to lose them, but she wasn't devastated. Not to mention she didn't know exactly what to say in this situation, for she had never really comforted anyone before.

With not knowing what to say, Kurome pulled out another piece of candy and tossed it at Wave.

The candy had hit the side of his face, and caused him to look at her before noticing out of the bottom of his eye the piece of candy laying on the blanket.

"What's this?" Wave said as he picked up the candy and looked at her.

"It's a gummy worm." Kurome answered as if it was obvious.

"No, I mean, ugh, why are you giving me a gummy worm?" Wave asked in a slightly exasperated tone.

"To help cheer you up." Kurome replied as her gaze returned to her comic book. "When I'm feeling down, I eat something sweet, so I decided to give you one to help cheer you up."

Not sure what to say, Wave said, "Thanks."

"No problem." Came Kurome's response after a few seconds of silence as Wave placed the gummy worm into his mouth.

After eating the candy, Wave looked at Kurome again, and spoke. "Do you think I could have a-"

"No, they're mine." She coldly interrupted not even giving him a chance to finish asking his question, while moving the bag of sweets further away from him. "You're only allowed to have one, and you already had it."

"Wha-Come on Kurome! I just want one more!" Wave stated in a more chipper tone which caused the black-haired girl to look at him again.

"Mmmmm, fine. You can have _one_ more." She declared after a while before grabbing another gummy worm and throwing it at him.

As he caught it, Wave thanked her. "Thanks, Kurome. You're a wonderful teammate."

Kurome said nothing in responsed, but her cheeks did become slightly red.

* * *

Esdeath listened to the family beg for their lives inside the burning shack, she frowned.

It had been a few days since Tatsumi was taken from her, and so far her efforts in finding him have proven ineffective.

At first, Esdeath offered large sums of money to the people who revealed the location of Night-Raid's base, but after locating it, she had a change of heart. The hideout had been deserted by the looks of it, which in short meant that Night-Raid was on move. Esdeath didn't know where Night-Raid was going, but she believed that someone in the city who is associated with them does.

Which is why she is currently listening to this family of four scream, and cry for their lives. They were one of Night-Raid's informants, and because they didn't know where they went, their lives meant nothing to Esdeath.

"General, we've finished searching the house, and have found nothing." An officer stated as he approached the General from behind. "It seems Night-Raid didn't inform them about moving locations either."

Esdeath's frown deepened upon hearing this information. This was the twentieth home that she had visited _personally_ , and once again she was met with disappointment.

"How many of your allies do I have to kill before you show yourselves, Night-Raid?" Esdeath said aloud as she tilted her head back slightly. "Huh, how many of them do I have to kill in order for you guys to come out and face me?"

As the family continued to scream for their lives, Esdeath turned around and started to walk away. The soldier who had informed her about the men finishing their search of the house had already left to gather his soldier. Their objective had been completed, which meant there was no point wasting any more time here when they could be searching another informant's home for information.

While walking towards the decently size house, she thought to herself. _"Maybe they've actually left the Capital City and are heading South?"_

Esdeath, at first, doubted Najenda fleeing the city, but as time passed and more and more informants' bodies piled up, she started to take into consideration the possibility of Night-Raid heading South.

Why she believed they were going South out of all the places was because Numa went South, and he was Tatsumi's brother, so the chances of taking him to the main base of Revolutionary Army were quite high. Not to mention, there was no way Najenda was letting her kill all of these people.

Najenda was strong, but she was also weak. Her weakness was that she cared for the weak, so Esdeath believed that killing a good chunk of Night-Raid's spies should have drawn out Night-Raid, but it didn't, so it made her wonder if Najenda truly fled the city with Tatsumi.

Deciding to think more about this later, Esdeath walked passed the home, and towards her pet Danger Beast that was patiently waiting for her at the front of the house.

She had thought about going to the next spy's home with her men, but decided not to, and instead decided to return to the palace to think about other ways of getting Tatsumi back and drawing out Night-Raid.

...

...

...

Upon returning to her room, Esdeath closed the door behind her and released a sigh before beginning to undress.

While it was still early in the evening, Esdeath had no intentions of leaving her room. All she planned on doing, for the time being, was lay down in bed with Tatsumi's old coat that had his scent.

Esdeath had considered this to be slightly perverted, but she couldn't help it. She missed him.

She missed the warmth that radiated from him when she slept with him. She missed the feeling of his lips against hers when she gave him a good morning kiss, and she missed his smile that he'd flash when he was content.

After finishing undressing, Esdeath climbed into the massive bed, and grabbed his coat. She brought the collar of it to her face, and inhaled deeply through her nose causing her to release another sigh, but unlike before this one was a blissful one.

"It still smells like Tatsumi..." She said to herself in a low tone with a smile as she lowered the coat from her face and embraced it.

Unfortunately, as soon as she did this there was a knock on the doors.

Esdeath had heard the knock, but didn't bother getting out of bed. Whoever it was that was outside going to have to wait until tomorrow to talk to her.

However, to her annoyance the person knocked on one of the doors again, and said in an audible voice.

"General Esdeath."

The person who was at the double door entrance was the Grand General Budo.

Groaning, Esdeath got up out of bed and covered herself with the coat. It couldn't conceal her breasts due to Tatsumi not being a big and bulky man, but at least she wasn't in the nude anymore.

After marching over to the entrance, Esdeath opened the right door slightly, and said in an annoyed tone. "This better be important."

The Grand General, who was looking away from the doors at the moment, averted his eyes back towards the doors, and saw Esdeath poking her head out.

"General Esdeath, I see you still haven't learned how to address your superiors." Budo stated as he stared at her.

Esdeath scoffed in response. "Spare me the banter, and just tell me what it is you want."

"Hmph, I've simply come to check up on you." Budo declared which caused Esdeath to look at him funny. "Usually I wouldn't concern myself with these things, but because this was the first time you were in love, I want to make sure that you're doing alright."

"Why do you care about how I'm doing?" Esdeath questioned as she opened the door more to where he could see her body, but crossed her arms before he could see her nipples.

"Because you're a General of the Empire, and I want to make sure that you know where your allegiances lie." He said in response with a trace of annoyance. Budo, in all honesty, didn't want to be here, but because Esdeath was very powerful he wanted to make sure that she wasn't going to betray the Empire in order to get Tatsumi back.

"My allegiance will always lie with the Empire, Budo. You don't need to force yourself and pretend to care about me when we both know you'd be happy if I was gone." Esdeath stated with traces of irritation in her voice.

"I would be happy if you actually acted like a General, Esdeath and not some bloodthirsty woman all the time." Budo replied, a little annoyed that Esdeath was being difficult.

"I'm not bloodthirsty." Esdeath retorted with a small grin. "I'm just a battle maniac, who enjoys fighting."

Knowing that he wasn't going to get anywhere with her, the Grand General said to her. "Just try not to let your feelings for him affect your abilities as a General. Okay, Esdeath?"

Yeah, yeah, now if you don't mind, I'm going to go back to laying down." Esdeath replied in a bored tone before closing the door on the Grand General.

Budo had said nothing, and Esdeath didn't bother waiting for him to say something through the door.

She simply walked back over to the bed, got in it, and began embracing Tatsumi's old clothing again.

* * *

Tatsumi sat down next to Theo with a sigh, and removed his mask. It was black with golden accents, like a tree down the middle of the mask, and had rectangular holes for viewing through.

Free of the mask, strands of his pitch black dyed hair fell loose over his eyes. The rest of it was pulled into a low top knot, it had a messy look, but it also had an appeal of ruggedness. Despite Najenda having _permission_ to alter his hair, she, in actuality, just trimmed it to grow it out more, which gave him his current look.

If he was being truthful with himself, Tatsumi was worried he'd end up with a terrible haircut, for Najenda's hairstyle wasn't exactly the best in his opinion, but luckily she wasn't that bad at cutting hair.

It had been a few days since he, and Night-Raid had left for their destination, and it had almost been a week since he had shaved, so he had a little bit of facial hair on his face. It wasn't much at the moment, but eventually, he could have a full-grown beard and mustache if he didn't shave it.

Usually, Tatsumi would keep himself clean shaven, but because the Empire was looking for him, Tatsumi decided that he was going to let his facial hair grow out. He had no intentions of getting a full grown beard and mustache, but he did have something in mind.

He was not the only who had gotten his hair cut; in fact, Theo had also gotten his hair cut by Najenda before they departed from Night-Raid's base. Although, Theo had gotten his cut very short.

The more notorious members of Night-Raid didn't bother altering their looks, for they didn't see a point to, but the ones who weren't as notorious did. Lubbock, for example, applied makeup to his face, and gave himself an old burn scar that way when people looked at him, they wouldn't think he was Lubbock of Night-Raid. They would merely think he was a young man who had suffered abusement when he was younger.

Theo had heard the sigh escape Tatsumi's lips, but he didn't say anything, for he wasn't sure if this was an indication that he wanted to talk or not. The reason why he wasn't sure was because they had a long day. They couldn't stick to the main roads due to Imperial patrols as well as Imperial checkpoints, so they had no choice, but to travel through the woods and on foot.

Seeing that Theo didn't get the memo, Tatsumi said to him with a tiny trace of irritation in his voice. "How much longer do we have to walk through these woods?"

Tatsumi wasn't annoyed about the fact that they were traveling on foot. He was used to walking to his destinations, but what did annoy him was the fact that they weren't telling him where they were going. All Tatsumi knew was that they were going East, and to a city that the Empire controlled.

"Uh, I think we're halfway there, but I'm not too sure." Theo answered after thinking about it for a while. "To be honest, I haven't exactly been paying attention to what's going on. I've kind of been thinking about a few things."

This intrigued Tatsumi.

"Really? What have you been thinking about?" He questioned with traces of interest in his voice. He had spoken to Theo frequently since reuniting with him, but it had been a while since they've had a talk without any members of Night-Raid listening to the conversation.

Of course, the members of Night-Raid weren't far from them at the moment. It was just that they were busy setting up camp, and because they don't really need their help, the two non-Imperial Arm users decided to sit down and relax.

"I've been thinking about this being my last adventure." Theo confessed as he stared at the ground in front of them. "After we return to Espera, I'm thinking of retiring from being a mercenary. I know I said I don't want to die of old age, but after thinking about all the people I've lost died at a young age, I decided that I wanted to live for them."

"... I see." Tatsumi said in response, completely taken back by this declaration. Theo wasn't a man that would let death get to him, at least from what he had seen, so he didn't expect to hear this at all. Sure, he would be sad and mourn the fallen, but not once had death had this impact on him.

"I think you should retire as well." He then stated as he looked at Tatsumi. "You've been fighting as long as me, and you know that eventually, your luck on the battlefield will run out."

"I want to, really I do." Tatsumi declared as he looked down at his hands that were intertwined with one another and smiled sadly. "But I can't. Not until Esdeath has been killed. Once she has been rid of this world, I can retire and leave this life of violence behind, but until then, I can't."

Even though Theo knew Tatsumi was right, he asked him. "Do you really believe that _you_ can kill _her_?"

Tatsumi said nothing.

"Be realistic Tatsumi. What chances do _you_ have against her?" Theo questioned with a slightly agitated expression. "The woman can literally create anything she wants with her Imperial Arm, and use it however she pleases so-"

" _You think I don't know that_?" Tatsumi said in a heated tone. "I tried to kill her before, and I know the chances of defeating her are very low, but someone has to try. If not me, then who?"

"Night-Raid." Theo answered almost immediately. "Night-Raid has the highest chance of beating Esdeath. They all wield Imperial Arms unlike you, so the chances of them defeating her are higher."

While Theo did fight alongside Night-Raid, he wasn't exactly a member. He was a temporary member and was only fighting alongside them in order to rescue Tatsumi. He had no intentions of carrying out assassinations or anything like that, so once Tatsumi gets taken to the Revolutionary Army's HQ, his alliance with them ends, for he will be going back to Espera with him.

"Do you really think they can defeat her?" Tatsumi nearly shouted causing a few of them to turn their heads and look at the two of them. "I've spent months with her, I know her, and I'm telling you this now, there's no way they can defeat her. Especially at this moment."

Unbeknownst to the two of them, Chelsea had approached them, and said with curiosity in her voice. "What are you two talking about?"

Theo who was about to respond to Tatsumi's statement looked at Chelsea, and was going to say something, but Tatsumi beat him to it.

"It's nothing."

"Doesn't sound like it." Chelsea quickly replied as she moved the lollipop that was in her mouth to the left side. "It sounded a little serious if you ask me."

"Well, it wasn't, so you shouldn't concern yourself with what we're talking about." Tatsumi retorted as he looked at her sternly.

"You know, for a prince who was just rescued from their captors, you'd think he'd be grateful, but I guess I was wrong." Chelsea said before walking off towards the encampment.

At this, Tatsumi said nothing, but one of his said aloud in a low tone that only Theo could hear. "We didn't ask you to take us from her. You did that on your own free will."

* * *

 **(Revan's AN): So, I originally had this up at 4.5k words, but I didn't like the scene, I felt it was bad, and honestly, it wasn't needed, so instead of rewriting it, I had decided to just cut it and release this. My apologies that this was a little bit of a short chapter, but it can't be helped. Anyways, we're reaching it. Yep, that's right we're getting closer and closer to the end. I think there is thirty chapters left, and that's max, so look forward to the end. And with that said I'm going to go, see you all later.**

 **Link to the discord server:** discord .gg/ uDxVym8


	31. The Man In My Vision

**(Revan's AN): Well, this isn't a major announcement, but I'd just like to inform you all that one of my betas has left. It's a shame, but it's not going to affect the story. All he did really was check to make sure that the characters weren't acting OOC, as well as offer some solutions when I get stuck. Anyways, I just wanted to let you all know about this, and with that said, let's jump into the chapter.**

 **Full Summary:** Tatsumi Seika, the second son of Kaito Seika, was a rebellious child. Unlike his siblings, he didn't care about the duties of a prince, and after being told that he was going to marry some noblewoman, he ran away from home. Now, after five years of being away, Tatsumi has finally returned.

 **Non-canon, single-pairing, OOC Characters.**

* * *

 _"Flashbacks" -_ **Thinking**

"Flashbacks" - _**Talking**_

 _[Flashbacks]_ **\- Letters or Reports.**

 **Theme Song: Ten Million Voices, by Shaman's Harvest.**

 **Main Writer:** Revan the Edgelord

 **Co-Writer:** None.

* * *

Farah couldn't help from feeling nervous as she opened the door that led to Numa's office which also happened to be his room. She had gotten used to dealing with Tatsumi's family, but because Numa was the King of Espera, she couldn't stop her anxiety.

Upon opening the door, Farah saw Numa sitting down in a leather armchair behind a large reddish-brown desk. He wore an elaborate surcoat that had the Seika family symbol on it, and on top of his head was the circlet that the King of Espera would wear.

He had left his crown behind due to his mission, but now that he was back in Espera it was time for him to wear his crown and act like a king.

Numa was currently in the middle of writing something down, so at first, he didn't notice Farah, but after pausing and looking up, he saw her and greeted her.

"Ah, Farah forgive me I was lost in thought, come in, come in." He declared as he ushered her to enter the room.

"Understood, Your Majesty." Farah complied as she entered the room and closed the door behind her.

"Your Majesty..." Numa said aloud with a tiny trace of amusement in his voice. "There's no need for you to be this formal with me. After all, I've heard you have gotten pretty close with my family."

Farah said nothing at first, but she could have sworn that Numa's eyes narrowed slightly upon mentioning his family.

"It would be highly inappropriate if I, a commoner, spoke to the king in such a manner." Farah stated a couple of seconds.

"It certainly would be inappropriate, so do you mind telling me why a _commoner_ is speaking with the royal family in such a manner? I understand that you were close to my brother, and that he wanted you to come with us, but that doesn't give _you_ the right to address the royal family so informally." Numa said in a stern tone.

"Forgive me, Your Majesty." Farah apologized almost immediately while bowing her head. "In all actuality, I didn't mean to get so close to the royal family, but your mother, the former Queen of Espera, forced me."

"My mother forced you?" Numa declared with a doubtful voice. "What did she hold you at knifepoint, and order you to address my brother and sister with their names?"

Numa had asked her this sarcastically and caused her to frown slightly.

"No, but she was the one who wanted to get close to me." Farah explained in hopes that he would understand.

"Why? Why would my mother want to get close to you?" Numa demanded to know as he placed his hands in front of his mouth and glared at her.

"Because Tatsumi loved me, and not long after he told me that he was, I found out that I was in love with him as well!" Farah practically shouted with flush cheeks. She had tried to not let emotions take control of her, but because Numa was borderline interrogating her, she was having a hard time keeping them in check.

"... I'm sorry, what?" Numa asked after nearly a minute of nothing, but what could be considered as an eerie silence.

"I said that Tatsumi loved me..." Farah stated in a now bashful voice. She couldn't believe that she had just told Tatsumi's brother this, but she didn't know what else to say, for that was the reason why their mother allowed her to act so informal with them, and feast with them.

Numa was once again silent for quite some time. The reason why was because he didn't know what to say to this.

He had assumed that Tatsumi was fond of his nurse, and was okay with her being taken to Haven because of that fondness, but love? Love was something he didn't expect to be between them.

"I-I understand." Numa stuttered before regaining his composure. "However, I sadly cannot let this _love_ blossom."

He had emphasized on the word love, for he had some doubts that it was actual love, but that wasn't what caught Farah's ears.

"What do you mean, Your Majesty? Tatsumi-"

"Is alive." He interrupted in a stern voice as he relaxed himself a bit. "Apparently, he didn't die in the Fall of Ylona, and was taken captive. I had spoken to the Revolutionary Army's leaders, and they agreed to rescue him in exchange for this, Espera will assist them in taking down the Empire. I had planned on telling everyone at dinner tonight, but because we're on this subject I decided to inform you now."

"Tatsumi is alive..." Farah said aloud in disbelief. For a second she had thought Numa was lying, but that thought quickly vanished. There was no reason for Numa to lie about this, but what she didn't understand was why Numa wouldn't let their love for each other blossom.

"Why, why can't we be together?" She asked after several seconds while staring into his blue eyes.

"Isn't it obvious?" Numa replied, his lips curved slightly downwards. "You're a _commoner_ , and he is a _prince_. He has to marry someone his stature, which is why you'll tell him that the two of you can't be together when he returns. It may hurt him, but understand that this is for the best of Espera."

Farah said nothing in response, but Numa could tell she didn't like what she had just heard.

Releasing a sigh, he said to her. "I know what I'm asking isn't something I should be asking, but please understand that this has to be done. When this war is over, the nobles of the court will seek compensation for their support in this war, and I have no doubts that one of them will ask for their daughter or themselves to marry him. If I'm going to rule Espera, then I need him to cooperate, and do his part so that we may all live in peace once this war with the Empire is done."

Farah still said nothing which made Numa hate himself a little for what he was doing as well as regret it a little, but he wasn't going to change his thoughts on the matter. If he allowed them to be together once the war is over, then the Kingdom would bleed, so for the good of the realm, this had to be done.

As tears started to take form in her eyes, Numa had dismissed her. He had apologized to her as well, but that didn't really matter to her, for he had also reinforced his statement with his beliefs.

Nonetheless, Farah accepted his apology and told him that she'd do what he'd ask of her due to him being the King of Espera and her being a citizen of it. She may not like it, but who was she to refuse a king's will?

* * *

Tatsumi couldn't help from sweating a little as he, Akame, and Najenda waited at the designated area.

They had arrived at the city, Kyoroch a few days ago, but couldn't enter the city due to the gates being closed and the guardsmen doing face checks. Because of this, Najenda sent both Lubbock and Leone into the city to get in touch with some of the people they came here to meet, and inform them of the _cargo_ they were bringing.

Tatsumi still didn't know who they were meeting, nor did he really know where they were. All he did know was that they headed East and that this city is called Kyoroch, besides that he didn't know anything else.

"You look tense, Tatsumi." Akame noted causing him to turn and see her chewing on the last chicken leg she brought with her.

"Can you blame me?" He questioned, his voice a little muffled due to his black mask with golden accents. "I am at a foreign city about to meet some people that I do not know, and the people I'm traveling with are the most wanted people throughout the Empire."

"Look on the bright side, those people you're traveling with are some of the most deadly people in the Empire." Najenda stated with a smirk as Tatsumi looked at her. She had a cigar in her bionic hand.

"... You do have a point there." Tatsumi admitted reluctantly. He wasn't going to lie and say that he wasn't for it was true, the members of Night-Raid are some of the most lethal people in this country, especially Akame.

He hadn't seen her fight at all, but he could tell she could stand against Esdeath for quite some time. He doubted she could beat her, but a part of him did believe that she would have higher chances than him.

"You should try to relax, Tatsumi." Akame stated as she nibbled on the chicken leg. "Being tense like that makes you suspicious, and people investigate suspicious people."

"Who's going to investigate me?" Tatsumi questioned with curiosity in his voice. "We're outside of the city, and there's no one in sight, so who would investigate me?"

"Them." Akame answered while pointing her right index finger at Tatsumi.

Turning around to see who she was talking about, Tatsumi watched a group of eight people wearing white and red clothing with silver helmets that had white masks attached to them approach the three of them.

Judging from their statures, and clothing Tatsumi believed them to all be male, and couldn't help from asking. "Who are they?"

"Members of the Path of Peace." Najenda stated as she threw her cigar down and stepped on it with her left foot. "Also known as our allies."

As Najenda moved to meet them, Tatsumi glanced at Akame and said to her. "Who are the Path of Peace?"

"The Path of Peace is a religious organization that has a major influence in the Eastern regions of the Empire. The leader of it, the Lord is almost considered a God, and is loved by the people." Akame explained after finishing her chicken leg and tossing the bone away.

"So they're a bunch of fanatics..." Tatsumi murmured in a slightly displeased as he watched Najenda exchange words with the group of men.

"Yes, but they're not bad people. They don't sacrifice others in the name of their religion and believe that if you do good deeds you'll be rewarded later on." Akame stated in their defense.

Tatsumi said nothing in response to this. He had considered what she had just said to be a bunch of nonsense, but he had no plans of mentioning this. In the past, he had once came across a group of fanatics who tried to burn a singer at the stake because of them believing her to be a demon or something along those lines.

Once Najenda finished talking to the members of the Path of Peace, she walked back towards the two of them, and informed them of what's going to happen.

"The Path of Peace is going to help us enter the city, and has also agreed to help you Tatsumi with your... Condition." Najenda stated in a firm tone. "Four of them are going to come with me to get everyone else, while the other four are going to go take the two of you to go see the Lord."

"Wait, so these people are the ones who are going to help me with _them_?" Tatsumi questioned with confusion on his face and in his voice. He had assumed that it was going to be a doctor or someone like that to help him with _them_ , not a cultist leader.

"Yeah, is there a problem with that?" Najenda answered before asking him her own question.

As much as he wanted to say yes, Tatsumi decided not to say that and instead said, "No, there are no problems at all."

Satisfied that there were no problems, Najenda looked at Akame, and said to her. "Remember that this place is still under the control of the Empire, so try not to draw attention to yourself, Akame. Some of the people here will turn a blind eye for you, but there are still some who will report you to the authorities if they see you, so try to avoid sticking out."

"Understood." Akame acknowledged with a resolved look.

...

...

...

After about half an hour of walking through Kyoroch's streets and alleys, Tatsumi arrived at the Path of Peace's cathedral.

It was big, in fact, it was a little bit bigger than the cathedral in Ylona and had a gothic style similar to it as well, but what Tatsumi found to be interesting about was the large stone statue of a masked man wearing robes that stood behind the podium where hundreds of people would gather to hear the Lord speak.

He didn't know who the masked man was supposed to be, but if he had to guess, then Tatsumi assumed it to be their God. It was the only logical thing he could think of.

Eventually, he along with Akame was led to a doorway that consisted of two large double doors and was guarded by armed Path of Peace members.

"The Lord is waiting for you in here, Mr. Tatsumi." Spoke the Path of Peace member who was leading the two of them. "Only you are allowed to enter this room. Ms. Akame, you will have to wait outside with us."

"Why does she have to wait outside?" Tatsumi questioned as he looked at the man, traces of curiosity in his voice.

"It is the Lord's request." He answered in a stern tone. "He wants to speak with you alone, and with no one else around."

"I see." Tatsumi said as he averted his attention back to the double doors before him. He didn't like the idea of meeting this _Lord_ alone, especially since he is unarmed, but if the person behind these doors could cure him of his affliction, then what choice did he have?

"It's going to be okay." Akame assured as she put her hand on his shoulder causing him to look over the said shoulder at her. "The Lord is a good man, you don't need to be tense."

Tatsumi said nothing, but he was a little disappointed with what she said. He had expected her to say something like, "If something happens, I'll protect you." but she didn't so he was a little displeased. He didn't want to be reassured that the man in there was a good man, he wanted to be told that she'd do everything in her power to keep him from entering Esdeath's clutches again.

With nothing else to be said, Tatsumi opened one of the doors and entered the room.

Upon entering the room, Tatsumi was met by the sight of a tall, slender blonde male who wore priest like clothing. His back was facing Tatsumi, and a small hum was escaping his lips.

As he closed the door behind him, the Lord ceased his humming and spoke. "Tatsumi Seika, age twenty, son of Kaito Seika and Asami Seika, and second in line to inherit the Esperan Kingdom's throne. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Tatsumi flinched upon hearing this and looked at the now turned around man with suspicion.

"How do you know all of that?" Tatsumi questioned with a bit of hostility in his voice. He had assumed the possibility of Night-Raid informing them of him being royalty, but there was no way the man before him knew his age as well as his parents' names.

"God told me you'd come five years ago." The Lord answered with a friendly smile. "He said a man wearing a black mask with gold accents and multiple personalities would enter this room on this day. He informed of me that man's name, and he told me that the man will be our savior and bring us out of these dark times."

"I'm sorry, but are you on something right now?" Tatsumi asked after several seconds of silence with confusion in his voice.

"No, I am perfectly fine." The Lord replied in a cheerful tone.

"... You sure?" Tatsumi questioned after nearly a minute of staring, not convinced at all that this man was perfectly fine in the head.

"Yes." He claimed with the same friendly smile.

"I see." Tatsumi said as he looked away. He didn't know why, but he felt like he had been lied to by Najenda just so they could come here and kill their targets that are in this city.

"You don't believe me, do you?" The Lord questioned as he tilted his head to the side slightly.

"Is there a reason why I should?" Tatsumi asked in response.

"No, I guess if someone told you this, you'd, of course, be skeptical." The Lord said in an understanding tone before approaching Tatsumi.

Tatsumi stiffened upon him getting closer, but besides that, he didn't do anything else. The man appeared to be unarmed, and he doubted he was a more skilled fighter than he was.

"Relax." The Lord stated in a calming tone. "I'm not going to hurt you."

Despite him saying this, Tatsumi remained tense.

However, he didn't try to stop the Lord from placing his hands on top of his mask and taking it off.

After taking his mask off, the Lord lowered it and stared into his green eyes and said to him. "Yes, those are the eyes I have seen in my visions. These are the eyes of the one who will save us all."

Tatsumi looked away once again, and said in response. "You're more insane than Esdeath. If you know who I am, then you should know I can't save anyone."

"Not as you are now no, but with my assistance, you will be able to." The Lord declared before walking away towards the west side of the room with his mask in hand.

Curious as to where he was going, and what he meant by that, Tatsumi followed him.

"What do you mean with your assistance? What can you do for me?" He questioned in a desiring manner.

"I cannot rid you of _them_ , those two are apart of you for the time being, but what I can do is give you something to utilize them." The Lord affirmed as he approached the stone wall and placed his free hand on it.

Hearing a clicking noise, Tatsumi watched as a part of the stone moved back before sliding away behind another portion of the wall. As this happened, the Lord walked away to go grab a candle, so that he could light up the pathway ahead of them.

"... Why are you doing this?" Tatsumi questioned as he stared at the tall man's back. "What do you gain from helping me?"

"I gain peace." The Lord declared in a firm tone. "This nation is currently plagued with tragedy and death, but with your help, it shall finally come to an end. Tatsumi Seika, you are the one who will usher us into a new age."

As he said the last part, the Lord turned around to face Tatsumi. Purple eyes met green eyes, and for some odd reason, Tatsumi was able to visualize himself talking the heads all of the corrupt officials that control the Empire.

Shaking his head, and blinking multiple times, Tatsumi said in response. "You're deluding yourself if you think I care about this nation. The only thing I care about is killing Esdeath, I care for nothing else."

"... What about Farah Hassan?" The Lord questioned after some time which made Tatsumi flinch in surprise.

"H-How do you know about her?" He demanded as he furrowed his eyebrows.

"God, he was the one who told me all about you." The Lord answered, his expression unchanging. "You can act like you don't care, but there is a small part of you who doesn't like seeing the people of this nation suffer. It may not be the nation you're apart of, but that doesn't stop you from caring about them because you're a good person, Tatsumi Seika."

"No, I'm not!" Tatsumi denied vehemently. "I've killed hundreds if not thousands of people with my own hands, and I've let thousands of my people die because of my own damn pride! I am not a good person, so stop believing that I am!"

"... If you were truly a bad person you wouldn't care about the people you've killed." The Lord stated after about twenty seconds of silence. "You are a good person, and you know it. You just don't want to accept it because you believe that you have no right to accept the label."

Tatsumi clenched both his fists and teeth in anger and was about to say something, but the Lord spoke again. "You have walked a treacherous path, Tatsumi Seika, and you have suffered tremendously. You have scars that run deep, both physically and mentally, but your journey is not over. You still have a long ways to go before it ends. It won't be easy, but I believe that you can do it."

The prince remained silent after this declaration. As much as he wanted to continue arguing with the Lord, he also wanted to leave this place, so he decided not to say anything else and just simply followed the Lord into the dark path.

...

...

...

After being led down a flight of stairs, Tatsumi and the Lord eventually came to a stop in a dark chamber with the only light source being the Lord's candle.

"Let me light the candles in here." The Lord stated before moving away from Tatsumi. He started on the left side of the room and gradually made his way to the right side of the room.

As the room became more and more lit, Tatsumi noticed something. He noticed in the center of the room an altar that had three things on it.

The altar had two swords resting on it that were thin, with a slight curve at their ends. The crossguards were circular, with a strip of ornate metal reaching down to the pommels. Each blade had complicated designs etched into them, but hat caught his interest the most was that while they each had a similar appearance, one had a moonlit glow while the other seemed to draw in the light, like the sky at midnight.

The two blades intersected with one another, and sitting on top of the crossed blades was a brown leathery book that looked like a journal and appeared to be very old.

"... So this is what you plan on giving me? Two swords that look very identical to one another?" Tatsumi asked after several seconds of silence as the Lord finished lighting up the candles in the room.

"I believe you have heard the terms, Imperial Arms, have you not?" The Lord replied with his own question causing Tatsumi to look at him.

"I have." He answered with a nod of his head.

"That's good, but do you know what they can do?" The Lord then asked with curiosity in his voice.

"They grant the person who wields them power." Tatsumi answered as he looked at the two swords. He was pretty sure he knew where this was going.

"That's correct, but not just anyone can wield them." The Lord stated in a serious tone. "You have to have certain requirements for each one of them, and even then you might not be able to fully wield it."

"I understand that, but what does this have to do with me and the _others_?" Tatsumi demanded in a slightly annoyed tone.

"This Imperial Arm cannot be wielded by one person. It requires multiple people to wield it." The Lord explained as he approached the altar. "In my vision, I saw you wielding it, Tatsumi Seika."

"That doesn't make sense at all." Tatsumi said with a bit of frustration in his voice. "If it requires multiple people to wield it, then how am I able to wield it? I'm just a person."

"How many people are inside your head, Tatsumi Seika?" The Lord replied with a small smile that made Tatsumi frown.

" _They're_ not people. _They're_ just fragments of my torn apart mind." Tatsumi claimed after a few seconds of silence.

"No, they're people, Tatsumi Seika." The Lord affirmed as he set the mask down on the altar next to the dual swords. "They have their own desires and wishes just like you. You just don't want to acknowledge them because you're afraid that they'll take control of your body and erase what is left of you."

Tatsumi said nothing, and simply looked away.

"But you should not be afraid, Tatsumi Seika. You are the son of Kaito and Asami Seika. You are the heir to the Esperan throne, and you are the one who will usher us into a new age. Have faith in yourself, and you shall never lose again." The Lord declared proudly causing Tatsumi to look back at him.

Averting his attention to the items that laid on the altar, Tatsumi approached it.

After closing the distance between him and it, he reached out for one of the blades. He was a little hesitant, but after glancing at the Lord and seeing the reassured expression, Tatsumi gained some confidence and grabbed the sword that had the moonlight glow.

Upon grabbing the handle, Tatsumi felt a tremendous amount of energy course through his body, he didn't know why, but he felt, c _onnected_ with the blade he was touching.

With curiosity getting control of his body, Tatsumi reached out for the other blade and grabbed ahold of it causing him to feel once again another massive amount of energy run through his body.

Lifting the two blades up, Tatsumi said to the Lord. "What are they called?"

At this, the Lord smiled.

" _Gladiis Tenebris Lumen._ "

* * *

 **(Revan's AN): Well, then I think this is a good stopping point, don't you agree? I had thought about doing an Esdeath and Wave scene, but I had decided not to. I decided that this chapter should mostly focus on Tatsumi. Anyways, it seems Tatsumi has finally gotten his Imperial Arm. Now, I want to point out that even with this planned, I wasn't sure how I wanted this to work, but I think I explained it well. If some people, however, are confused then I apologize. I did my best. And with that said, I'm going to go. I'll see you all next chapter.**

 **Link to the discord server:** discord .gg/ uDxVym8


	32. The Prince That Was Promised

**(Revan's AN): Yep, it's official. One of my betas officially quit. I PMed him asking if he was done, and I got no response, and I messaged him a while ago, so I'm sure he's done. Oh well, I'm not going to lose sleep over it. It may suck, but I still got another, and as long as I got one, I'm good.**

 **Full Summary:** Tatsumi Seika, the second son of Kaito Seika, was a rebellious child. Unlike his siblings, he didn't care about the duties of a prince, and after being told that he was going to marry some noblewoman, he ran away from home. Now, after five years of being away, Tatsumi has finally returned.

 **Non-canon, single-pairing, OOC Characters.**

* * *

 _"Flashbacks" -_ **Thinking**

"Flashbacks" - _**Talking**_

 _[Flashbacks]_ **\- Letters or Reports.**

 **Theme Song: Ten Million Voices, by Shaman's Harvest.**

 **Main Writer:** Revan the Edgelord

 **Co-Writer:** None.

* * *

Esdeath tapped the round wooden table in a steady beat as she waited for one of her officers to speak.

She had asked them to tell her some good news about nearly a minute ago, but so far none of them have said a word. All they have done is just simply sat there, and look at one another in hopes that somebody else had retained good news for her.

Seeing that no one was going to speak, the General released a sigh and got up from her seat. She then started to walk over to the East side of the room where a pitcher of wine was and began pouring herself a glass.

"You know, when I recruited you all, I was told you were all the best." She started as she stared down at the dark red liquid. "The Prime Minister told me that you all were the best of your classes and that you didn't know what failure was."

At this, the seven officers glanced downwards. While there was, of course, a lot of officers in her army, these were her commanding officers. They were the best, and would sit at the officers' table alongside her, a place where only a few could sit.

"However, what you all are telling me at this very moment is nothing at all!" Esdeath shouted as she turned around to face them causing a few of them to flinch. "Which makes me believe that none of you, not a single one of you, has any information on Night-Raid. On _Tatsumi_!"

"General, we are trying. It's just-" The officer closest to her on her right said only to be stopped by an icicled that stopped mere inches from his face.

"If you were not useful to me on the battlefield, I would have your head pinned to the table, _Colonel_." Esdeath stated with venom in her voice causing the raven-haired male to gulp down his saliva.

With her point clear, Esdeath had the icicle disappear into thin air, and took a sip of her glass of wine.

"Tatsumi has been missing for almost two weeks now, and we have yet to see Night-Raid since the attack. There are two million plus people in this city, and you're telling me not one of them have seen Night-Raid or Tatsumi?!" She shouted the last part causing a few of the officers to glance away in shame.

They were all devoted to Esdeath, and although they didn't understand why she loved the Esperan prince they wanted to see her happy, so seeing her like this troubled them greatly.

Taking a deep breath, Esdeath said in a much more calmer tone. "It's time we take into consideration that Night-Raid has fled the city. I have been thinking that they may have left for a while now, but after two weeks of killing their allies, and searching everything within a hundred miles of this city, it's time to assume that they have ran away."

"If they have fled General then what do we do now?" A redhead questioned who had the insignia of the rank Commander on his left shoulder. "They could have gone anywhere, and our forces in the South are spread thin, so what should we do now?"

Esdeath at first said nothing. The Jaegers purpose was hunting down Night-Raid, but until they had some clues as to where they went, they couldn't do anything. She had used her army to help try finding them, but because no one knew where they went, her army was useless.

This irritated her, but instead of getting angry, Esdeath remained calm.

"For now we do nothing." Esdeath declared, breaking the silence that had filled the room. "Until we have gathered some information on Night-Raid and their whereabouts the army will remain in the capital city."

With that statement made, Esdeath ended the meeting.

* * *

Tatsumi released a sigh before closing the old journal and stretching his arms out as far as he could. It was late in the night, but instead of going to bed, Tatsumi had decided to read the book that had come with his Imperial Arms, for he felt it was a good time to see what it had to say. After all, he had nothing else to do, and he wasn't tired.

The book was written by the first person who wielded the Imperial Arm and talked about its abilities and how your state of mind affects the abilities as well as what it does to you. The blades were called _Gladiis Tenebris Lumen_ which meant the swords of dark and light.

Apparently, if the user was in a calm state of mind, then the sword of light's abilities would be stronger than the sword of darknesses abilities. Whereas if the user was frustrated, then his sword of darknesses abilities would be stronger than his sword of light's abilities.

He didn't exactly know how that worked, nor did he understand how it tied in with the _alters_ , but he wasn't going to question it because some things were better left being unknown.

However, one of the things he was curious about and wanting to test out was the _ultimate trump card_. Unfortunately, the first person who had wielded the weapon revealed that the ultimate trump card takes a terminal toll on your body, and could only be used three times. If used any more times than that, then he wouldn't know what would happen, for he had only been able to use it three times.

Another unfortunate thing was that he didn't know what the side-effects were. The first user never explained what happens to the user's body. The only thing he revealed was that it would affect him for life, and that the ultimate trump card should be used as a last resort when the user literally has no options lefts.

After finishing his stretch, Tatsumi sat up and placed the old journal on the nightstand next to the bed before grabbing his boots that were underneath the nightstand and equipping them.

Once he had finished equipping them, Tatsumi got out of the bed, and made his way to the round table that had his two sheathed rapiers and mask on top of it.

It didn't take him long to strap the swords to his belt, but it was something he was going to have to get used to. He wasn't unfamiliar with swords, but he was more of a spearman than a swordsman so it would take him some time to getting used too as well as dual wielding. He had dual wielded in the past before, and wasn't too bad when it came to fighting with two weapons in his hands, but the instruments he wielded were daggers, not swords, so it was going to take him some time before he becomes familiar with the concept.

Looking at the black and gold mask, Tatsumi tied his hair into the low top knot that he usually rocked before picking the said mask up. He gazed into the rectangular slits for a few seconds before turning it over and putting it on his face.

With his mask equipped, Tatsumi walked to the door and grabbed his coat that was hanging on the coat racket next to it, and left the room.

The place that he and Night-Raid were staying at, for the time being, was the Lord's manor. Apparently, the Lord has multiple homes in Kyoroch, but because he lives in the Path of Peace's cathedral he rarely visits them, so he had offered them to stay in his most refined home during their time in the city, which was unoccupied until they came along.

Najenda, of course, had refused the offer and said that if they stayed in his home they'd cause him problems with the Empire, but the Lord insisted and told her that they wouldn't hurt him. She and the majority of Night-Rad were skeptical about that, but in the end, decided to take his offer.

As Tatsumi walked down the hallway in silence, he began to think about what he was going to do now. He didn't have to stay with Night-Raid, and could leave at this very moment if he wanted to, but he doubted they'd let him run away. He may not be their prisoner, but he was an important piece in their war with the Empire, so the odds of him leaving without them chasing after him were practically nonexistent.

However, Tatsumi wasn't even sure if he wanted to leave. _If_ what the Lord said was _true_ , and that was a big if, then he was going to need comrades to fight alongside, and strong ones at that. Night-Raid could be those comrades. Their goals might not be the same as his goals, but their goals did align to a degree, so it was worth taking in consideration of them.

Eventually, the prince came upon a pink haired girl who was sitting on a window sill and staring up at the sky.

The girl was Mine.

It wasn't a sight he expected to see, but it wasn't an unwelcoming one either.

She had noticed his presence and slowly averted her attention towards him, and said, "You need something?"

"No, just going for a walk." Tatsumi said in response, his tone neutral and showing no signs of friendliness or hostility.

At this, she huffed. "Hmph, okay then."

There was a little bit of irritation in her voice that didn't go unnoticed by him, but he didn't comment on it. He instead watched her look back at the midnight sky, and asked her. "What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing that concerns you." She answered sharply.

Tatsumi frowned slightly upon hearing this. He didn't recall offending her, so he didn't know why she was acting like he was a nuisance.

"Have I done something to upset you?" He questioned with a little bit of irritation in his voice.

"Have you done something to upset me?" She repeated as she looked at him again, but this time with scornful eyes.

"Yeah, have I?" He asked as his eyes narrowed and his voice became firmer than before.

"No, but because of you, my best friend is dead." She stated vehemently causing his frown to deepen.

It didn't take a genius to know who she was talking about. The person Mine was talking about was Sheele of Night-Raid.

"How is it my fault that Sheele died?" Tatsumi questioned as he crossed his arms. There was a small amount of curiosity in his voice.

"If we never had to rescue you, then we would have never had to attack the Jaegers' Headquarters, but-"

"I never asked for you to rescue me, so don't fucking say it was my fault." Tatsumi coldly interrupted. He didn't want to be like this, but he wasn't going to put her blood on his hands when it wasn't his fault. All he had done that day was defend himself from people he had assumed came there to kill him.

Mine's face became one of frustration upon hearing this. "What do you mean it wasn't your fault!? It is your fault, and you know it!" She yelled as she got up off of the window sill.

"No, it isn't." Tatsumi denied in a curt tone. "And while I am grateful for Night-Raid rescuing me, I will not let you blame me for your friend's death. I never asked you guys to storm the castle and put yourselves in jeopardy. You all did that on your free will."

"Y-You..." Mine stuttered as she gritted her teeth in anger. "You're an asshole, and I hope you get tortured by Esdeath again!"

Before Tatsumi had a chance to say anything, Mine ran away which made him release a sigh.

He had been half tempted to go after her and give her a piece of his mind, but in the end, Tatsumi decided that she wasn't worth it. She was just blaming him because she had yet come to terms with her friend's death, so he could understand her reasoning to an extent.

"Don't take what she says to heart, Tatsumi. Mine is a good girl, and will come around eventually. You just need to give her some time." Came Bulat's voice from his right.

Looking to his right, Tatsumi saw the man tall and muscular man standing in the shadows with his arms crossed in front of him.

"... How long have you been there?" Tatsumi questioned after what felt like an eternity of silence. He was more curious about how he, and Mine didn't notice Bulat at all during their exchange of words.

"Long enough, Tatsumi. Long enough." Bulat answered with a small smile.

"I see." He said in response.

A small silence temporarily filled the hallway before being broken by Bulat.

"Anyways, you seriously shouldn't take what Mine said to heart. She's just yet to come to terms with it." Bulat stated in hopes that he'd be understanding.

"I don't see why I should take what she said to heart." Tatsumi replied with a small scowl. "I'm not her comrade or anything like that, and the odds of me seeing her again after I'm taken to the Revolutionary Army's base are very low."

Bulat nodded his head in agreement. "You're probably right, but you never know what could happen. The future is full of surprises, so it's best not to assume things like that."

"While I do agree with your statement, I think it's okay to assume on this one." Tatsumi stated as he looked at the taller warrior. "In case you have forgotten, I'm your _cargo_ , and there is no way the Revolutionary Army or Najenda would risk my safety. At least not when there is a lot at stake. If I offered my skills, she'd deny them and say it's too risky and the Revolutionary Army can't afford to lose this alliance with Espera."

"... You almost sound like you want to join us." Bulat declared after a while.

Tatsumi looked away upon hearing this. "I have been taking it into consideration." He said in a neutral tone.

"Really, since when?" A now curious Bulat asked.

"Since I've spoken with the Lord." Tatsumi answered. "I don't know if what he said to me was true or just a bunch of nonsense, but if it is true, then I think it would be best if I aligned myself with Night-Raid. After all, we share a common enemy."

Deciding to see what Tatsumi meant by that, Bulat said to him. "And who is this enemy that we share?"

"The Empire." He replied without batting an eye.

"I see, and what about Esdeath?" The wielder of Incursio questioned.

"Esdeath is _my_ responsibility." Tatsumi declared as he shifted his attention towards Bulat. "I will deal with her by myself."

Bulat said nothing in response, but he was starting to think that maybe he should talk to Najenda and convince her to allow Tatsumi to fight alongside them. The chances of her approving may be low, but he believed that Tatsumi could be the one to tip the scales into their favor.

He didn't know why he thought like this, but something about the man in front of him made him feel like this.

* * *

Wave couldn't hide his scowl as he took off Balzac and looked at his work.

He had obliterated the training dummy completely with just one punch, but rather feeling proud he felt irritated.

Elias' Imperial Arm had granted him both super speed and super strength as well as unparalleled intelligence, which was something most people would find to be cool or impressive, but he could care less about these things.

All he cared about was getting Grand Chariot back. Grand Chariot belonged to him, his mentor had given it to him, and had told him to protect those who could not defend themselves with it.

However, because he didn't have it, Wave felt lost. Like a sheath without a sword, he felt like his purpose was gone. The only reason why he was still apart of the Jaegers was because he was very compatible with Balzac. Had he not been highly harmonious with it, and able to defeat Liver, then he would have had to return to the navy, and resume being a sailor again, for Esdeath had no need for weaklings.

 _"Damn you, Night-Raid."_ He thought to himself. _"When I get my hands on you guys, you're going to regret stealing from me. I swear to the Gods that I'm going to make it so that you'd wish you had killed me back then."_

Wave usually wasn't like this, but he couldn't stop himself from getting angry when he thought about them. Not only did they take Grand Chariot from him, but they killed and kidnapped his comrades.

These actions were unforgivable in his eyes.

Knowing that he needed to hone his skills with this Imperial Arm, Wave placed the mask back on top of his face and resumed his training.

He had a goal, and in order to reach that goal, he needed to perfect his skills. That way when he meets Night-Raid again on the battlefield, he'll be ready and be the one that comes out victoriously.

* * *

Numa felt exhausted.

He didn't know what time it was, but he knew he needed to take a break from writing letters, for he had spent the past several hours doing nothing but writing letters. In these said letters were requests of both men and _women_ from the ages of fifteen to sixty-five.

In two days from now, he planned on sending all of them out to every fortress, castle, city, town, village, and clan in Espera. His goal was to build the largest army the Empire has ever seen, and unleash it on them.

As he released a sigh, there was a knock on his door.

Directing his attention to the door, Numa said in a loud and clear voice. "You may enter."

The person didn't need to be told twice, and had opened the door. However, Numa's expression had changed to one of surprise upon seeing them.

The person who had entered his room was a _woman_ , and a beautiful and tall one at that. She had pale skin, and long black hair with a lock that covered her right side of her face, and midnight black eyes.

She wore a white strapless gown with a sheer slit up to the thigh on her left side, revealing a long, shapely leg ending in a pair of tall, pointed heels on each foot. On her shoulders, she wore an open-chested jacket with a collar that extends down to her arms as sleeves with frilled cuffs.

She wore a single ring on her right index finger that had the symbol of her bloodline on it, and the only other jewelry she was wearing in addition to this was a pair of small hoop earrings. She wore a long mantle that has two layers, lined with fur at the collar, it split into an outer layer going to her hip and had the same symbol that was on her ring. The outer edge was gold, and there was a long blank layer that draped to her ankles.

Her chest, in addition to her white gown, was covered by a black zippered bodice, with three metal studs linking attachment strings from the left to a single stud on the right. The bodice ended just under her large breasts, which are displayed with little modesty. Majority of her cleavage was uncovered, and there was a brooch on her white gown that also displayed her family crest.

The person who had entered the room was none other than Lady Caroline Alreid, the head of House Alreid.

"L-Lady Alreid!" Numa said in a taken back tone as he got up out of his chair.

"Your Majesty." She greeted in a tone that could be considered emotionless.

"What are you doing here?" He questioned with a small frown after clearing his throat. He hadn't been informed that she was coming here, so he couldn't help from being taken back a little after seeing the woman who was supposed to marry his brother.

"Oh, nothing much, Your Majesty." She answered as she walked over to the left side of the room where a small portrait of Numa and his family was located.

She paused upon seeing the picture, and smiled slightly before picking it up. "I heard that my _fiancé_ was taken by the Empire's Strongest, so I came here to ask you what you plan on doing in order to get him back."

Upon her saying the word, _fiancé_ she glanced at him, and expected a reaction from him, but his expression didn't change at all. It remained the same.

However, there was a ghost frown written on Numa's face. She couldn't see it, but he felt like he was frowning.

The reason why he felt like this was because of what she revealed. She had admitted that she knew about Tatsumi's capture, which was something only a few dozen people in Haven knew besides his family and Tatsumi's nurse as well as unveiling her intentions of marrying his brother.

"How do you know _that_ , Lady Alreid?" Numa questioned in a somewhat curt voice.

"Your Majesty, you shouldn't look at me like that." She said in a slightly playful manner as she set the portrait back down where she found it. "It's very unbecoming of you."

"Answer the question." Numa demanded, not caring if it was unbecoming of him or not.

"Is it really that hard to believe?" Lady Alreid asked as she looked at him. "I wasn't considered an asset by your father for nothing, and I wouldn't have survived this long if I wasn't resourceful."

What she said was true. Lady Alreid had became the last remaining member of the Alreid bloodline at a young age and had been keeping it alive ever since then. She had survived against numerous assassination attempts, and had fended off multiple suitors who wanted to marry her for wealth, titles, and lands.

Deciding to change tactics, Numa said to her. "If you wanted to marry my brother, then why wait until now? Why come to me now, and not when we were living in peace?"

"Because I'm sure he would have ran away again." She answered with her lips curved slightly upwards. "Oh, don't even try to say I wasn't the reason, Your Majesty. We both know Prince Tatsumi ran away from home because he was being forced to marry me."

Numa had closed his lips and scowled after hearing that declaration. He had opened his mouth to tell her that she wasn't the cause, but she wasn't going to hear it.

Seeing his scowl made Lady Alreid's smirk widen a little bit. It didn't become a full-blown smirk, but it did widen by just a smidgeon.

"Now that we've cleared all of this up, will I still be marrying the prince I was promised? Or do you have no intentions of keeping your father's promise he made me?" She questioned with a very tiny trace of curiosity in her voice.

Numa said nothing at first. If he refused her, then he'd face major backlash, for he was sure she'd tell the other nobles that he doesn't keep oaths that were made. Not to mention, he'd also lose her support.

Despite her being the only member of the Alreid bloodline, she was very influential and very powerful, so if he denied her this marriage, then the odds of her supporting him in rescuing his brother would be practically nonexistent.

"Can you still..." Numa started before pausing and gesturing with his hands. "Give birth to a child?"

"Of course, Your Majesty." She answered almost immediately with her smirk still plastered onto her face. "I wouldn't have come to see you if I couldn't."

Numa was silent. Even though she was bringing a lot to the table, a small part of him was telling him that he should refuse her. He didn't know why, but something was telling him it was best to deny her this.

Unfortunately, in the end, he said, "Very well, if you can still give birth to a child, then I'll allow you to marry my brother once he returns."

Lady Alreid's smirk widened after hearing this.

"I'm glad that you're going to be keeping your father's promise, Your Majesty."

* * *

 **(Revan's AN): Well then, things are getting more and more interesting. We have Tatsumi who is considering the idea of fighting alongside Night-Raid, Wave who wants revenge on Night-Raid, and Numa who is marrying Tatsumi off to the woman he ran away from at the age of 15. Oh, and we also have Esdeath who is upset that she can't have Tatsumi to warm her bed anymore. I'm really enjoying this story, and I know I said this in the past with other stories, but this is different. This is so much different, like I can't even explain how different it is, but I want you all to know that it is different. Anyways, I don't think I have anything else to say, so I'm going to go now. I'll see you all in the next chapter.**

 **Link to the discord server:** discord .gg/ uDxVym8


	33. The Four Assailants

**(Revan's AN): Harem stories are bad, change my mind.  
**

 **(Second AN: The final scene of this chapter had been rewritten a few times, so I apologize if it was bad/disappointing, I did try my best to make it good, but I feel it could have been a lot better, but maybe that might just be me?)**

 **Full Summary:** Tatsumi Seika, the second son of Kaito Seika, was a rebellious child. Unlike his siblings, he didn't care about the duties of a prince, and after being told that he was going to marry some noblewoman, he ran away from home. Now, after five years of being away, Tatsumi has finally returned.

 **Non-canon, single-pairing, OOC Characters.**

* * *

 _"Flashbacks" -_ **Thinking**

"Flashbacks" - _**Talking**_

 _[Flashbacks]_ **\- Letters or Reports.**

 **Theme Song: Ten Million Voices, by Shaman's Harvest.**

 **Main Writer:** Revan the Edgelord

 **Co-Writer:** None.

* * *

"My answer is no, Bulat." Najenda declared with a firm look written on her face.

"C'mon Boss, if we ask him to join Night-Raid, then I'm sure he'll accept the offer." Bulat stated in hopes that she'd change her mind and allow Tatsumi to fight alongside them.

"Have you forgotten what our mission is?" Najenda asked in a serious tone as she glared at him. "Our mission is to protect him, and take him to headquarters in the South, not recruit him."

"I know what our mission is, but do you really think he'll just comply and leave everything behind?" Bulat questioned in response. "The man was tortured by Esdeath, and plans on getting revenge on her."

Najenda released a sigh of frustration upon hearing this and looked at Akame for some help, who had so far remained quiet throughout this entire conversation.

The two of them were originally discussing one of their targets, but Bulat had barged into the room claiming he had something to talk about, which was how they got here.

In truth, she knew Bulat was right, and the odds of Tatsumi going to the Revolutionary Army's base, and _staying_ there were nonexistent, but she didn't have a choice in the matter. Tatsumi was too valuable, and there was no way the leaders of the revolution were going to allow him to fight alongside Night-Raid.

Akame had spotted Najenda's look for help, and had decided to join in the conversation finally, but the words that came out of her mouth didn't align with Najenda's thoughts at all.

"Bulat is right, Boss." The raven-haired girl declared in a firm tone. "Tatsumi isn't someone who would let the past go, if we take him to the Revolutionary Army, and leave him with them, it'd be only a matter of time before we get a letter from them claiming that Tatsumi ran away."

Najenda placed her bionic hand on top of her forehead in exhaustion. She had hoped that Akame would help her in this, but she had sided with Bulat.

"Even if I wanted him to fight with us, it's not like I can allow that." Najenda stated after a few seconds of silence. "Leon and the rest made it clear as day that our job is to rescue the prince and bring him to headquarters."

After a bit of contemplation, Bulat was about to open his mouth to say something, when suddenly the door to the room bursted open with a green haired male being the cause of this.

"Lubbock?" Najenda said almost immediately upon seeing the green-haired assassin.

"Boss, he's gone!" Lubbock yelled as he looked up at her. He had been bent slightly bent over due to him being a little exhausted from running over here as fast as he possibly could.

"What do you mean he's gone?" Najenda questioned as she rose out of her chair with a look of surprise on her face. The person who they were talking about was the person they're supposed to take to the Revolutionary Army's headquarters.

"I mean he's gone." Lubbock answered as he straightened himself. "He didn't come out of his room for breakfast or lunch, so I went to check up on him, and when I got there he wasn't in his room."

"Have your wires been triggered at all?" Bulat asked causing the shorter assassin to shift his attention towards him.

"No, not at all." Lubbock replied with a firm expression.

Najenda scowled after hearing this information. Lubbock had not only set up his wires all around the manor, but he had also set them up outside of Tatsumi's room that way he'd know when Tatsumi would leave his room. However, if he had managed to get past those wires, without alerting Lubbock, then that meant he could go anywhere.

She didn't want Tatsumi to feel like he was their prisoner, and had tried to give him as much leeway as she possibly could, but because she had done this, she had given Tatsumi the opportunity to run away, and he took it.

"Damn it, where could he have gone?" She said aloud with traces of frustration and anger in her voice.

* * *

"Tatsumi Seika, it's a pleasure to see you again." The Lord welcomed with a friendly smile along with a polite bow as Tatsumi approached him.

"It's good to see you too." Tatsumi greeted in a polite tone as the two security forces who had escorted him were signaled to leave the room.

After the two guards exited the room through the way they came in, the Lord said to him. "So what brings you here, Tatsumi Seika?"

"You don't have to address me like that." Tatsumi said in response with a small frown that the Lord couldn't see due to his mask. "You can just call me Tatsumi."

"If that is how you want me to address you, then I will do that." The Lord declared with the same smile still written on his face.

An audible huff of air had escaped Tatsumi's lips after hearing this declaration. "I came here to ask about my journey, and the Imperial Arm you have given me."

"Ah, so you want to know if you'll be embarking on it by yourself and what happened to the previous wielders of the Imperial Arm?" The Lord asked causing Tatsumi's eyes to narrow slightly.

"No, I want to know how this journey ends." Tatsumi stated with a bit of annoyance in his voice. He could care less about who was going to fight alongside him. He just wanted to know how exactly this ends.

"What you seek is something, I cannot tell you." The Lord replied with a look of regret. "If I told you how this journey ends Tatsumi, then it would alter the ending tremendously, so I cannot tell you. All I can tell you is to follow your heart, and do what you believe is right, despite what everyone else thinks."

The Esperan said nothing in response, but the Lord could tell he was displeased with what he had heard.

"I apologize, Tatsumi. I had no intentions of upsetting you, but you must understand that if you know too much about the future, then it can change drastically." The Lord stated in hopes that he'd understand.

"Why are you able to know so much then?" Tatsumi questioned as he stared into his purple eyes. "Why do you get this right to know what happens in the future?"

"I don't know." The Lord answered after a few seconds of silence with what looked like a sad smile. "In fact, I have asked myself that almost every day, and I have still been unable to answer that question."

"I see." Came Tatsumi's response.

"However, what I do know is that running away from the people who are trying to protect you is not good for you." The Lord declared causing Tatsumi to look away in embarrassment.

"I'm not their prisoner, so I didn't run away." Tatsumi rebutted while continuing to avoid eye contact.

"No, but you did sneak out, didn't you?" The Lord questioned in a slightly amused tone. "Instead of telling them where you were going, you climbed out the window and left without saying a word."

"I shouldn't have to tell them where I'm going." An agitated Tatsumi declared. "I'm not their prisoner, nor am I their comrade, so what I do is none of their concern. In fact, I don't even know why I'm still here! Esdeath needs to be defeated, and the longer I sit here doing nothing, the more the people of this nation suffer."

"I thought you didn't care about the people of the Empire?" The Lord questioned with a small grin which vexed Tatsumi some more. "I thought you considered yourself a bad person, remember?"

"If you're going to just ridicule me, and mock me then we have nothing left to say to one another, _my Lord_." Tatsumi stated in a voice that was full of frustration as he turned around and started going back the way he came in.

"I'm not ridiculing you. I'm simply repeating what you said the other day." The Lord replied in a more firm tone than before.

Tatsumi said nothing to this, and continued to walk away which made the Lord furrow his brows.

"You're a difficult person, Tatsumi. You know that right?" The Lord called out in hopes that he'd stop walking away.

"I could say the same about you." Tatsumi coolly replied as he opened one of the double doors only to be greeted by the sight of four people he had never seen before and a large pool of a dark red liquid below them.

Before he had a chance to do anything, the second tallest person of the four greeted him.

"Hi there!" Was the greeting as the man slammed his palm into Tatsumi's chest causing him to go flying back, and towards the Lord.

He had a muscular build and wore nothing, but shorts. He had what looked like stitches on top of his head, but Tatsumi couldn't tell if they were actually stitches or markings. He had long purple hair that had been braided into two strands at the bottom and long bangs framing each side of his face. His eyes appeared to be completely black, and there were dark markings on his face and chest that looked like tattoos.

The Lord had witnessed this and was completely taken back by what he had just seen, but he didn't let fear take control of him. H quickly rushed over to the down prince.

"Tatsumi, are you alright?!" He questioned with traces of concern in his voice as he began to help him up.

"Relax, my Lord." Spoke the man who had hit Tatsumi. "I didn't hit him hard enough to stop his heart."

The Lord upon hearing the man's voice looked up and watched as the attackers entered the room.

There were two males and two females.

The second male was the tallest of the group and was heavily built. He wasn't completely bald, but he was bald at the top of his head. He had long braided hair with hair also sticking far out at the sides. He also had a long bushy beard and mustache as well as bushy eyebrows, and dark prominent circles around his eyes. He wore armor plating on his forearms, and also wore a large pauldron on his left shoulder.

The shortest of the four was a blonde who had a petite build and hair styled into pigtails. She had what looked like horseshoes to hold said pigtails into place. She had green eyes and tanned skin. Her attire consisted of long leggings and a shirt, which she had left open, allowing everyone and anyone to see her bikini top.

The second female wore clothes similar to those of a shrine maidens, with a loose kimono shirt exposing her cleavage held by a single breast guard on her right breast. She had black hair and a scar on her face.

"That's so unlike you, Ibara." The blonde stated with a smile as Tatsumi sat up. "Usually you just one punch kill whoever gets in your way, but you let this one live. Why's that?"

"Isn't it obvious, Mez?" The purple haired male questioned with a smirk as he cast her a side glance before averting his attention back towards Tatsumi. "This guy isn't like the others we've come across. He could put up a fight."

"We don't have time to waste, Ibara." The bald male declared in a stern tone. "The Prime Minister wants us to release the soul of the Lord, and report back to him immediately, let's hurry up and finish this."

As the two tall males started to bicker with one another about what they should and shouldn't do, Tatsumi rose to his feet with the Lord's help, and unsheathed his two swords.

"The Prime Minister sent you guys?" Tatsumi questioned with a trace of curiosity in his voice.

"Uh-oh, it looks like he's been listening in on our conversation." Mez stated causing both Sten and Ibara to cease their arguing.

"My oh my, whatever should we do?" The black haired girl questioned as she brought a hand to her mouth, and covered it, making it look like she was troubled by what Tatsumi found out.

"Hmph, don't you know it's a sin to eavesdrop on others, little man?" Sten asked with what sounded like anger in his voice as he stepped forward. "Sinners need to be dealt with, and I know how to deal with you, but the question is will you allow me to release your soul?"

"Whoa, what do you think you're doing?" Ibara demanded as he grabbed ahold of Sten's right shoulder. "He's _mine_. I saw him first, so I'm going to be the one to kill him."

"We actually all saw him at the same time, since he was the one who opened the door for us." Mez pointed out with her hand raised slightly.

"Shut up, Mez." Came Ibara's response to this information.

"I'm fine with fighting you all at once." Tatsumi declared with a smile they couldn't see due to his mask. "I may not be familiar with dual wielding, but I'm confident enough that I can kill you all."

"Ooooh, he's brave, I'll give him that." Mez stated with a bit of admiration in her voice.

"Tch, do you even know who we are?" Ibara asked after clicking his tongue in annoyance.

"Does it matter?" Tatsumi replied as he tilted his head slightly. "All of you will soon become a corpse."

At this, the four of them laughed.

"Those are some bold words coming from a little man." Sten declared after his laughter died down. "In fact, it saddens my soul a little how we're going to have to kill you, but we'll give you an honorable death, and let you fight Ibara in a one on one fight."

"You sure that's a wise idea?" Tatsumi questioned as he looked at Sten.

"I'm sure." Sten answered confidently.

"Alright-" Was all the words that came out of Tatsumi's mouth before abruptly stopping due to him having to move to his left.

The reason why he had moved to his left was because Ibara's hand sprung towards him like a bullet and nearly impaled him.

In reality, Tatsumi was actually glad he was able to get them to duel him. He wouldn't have minded fighting these guys all at once, but that was only if he had a spear, since he was a master spearsman. However, he wasn't and instead, he was fighting them with swords, so he doubted he could take on all four of them and come out as the victor.

Not to mention, he didn't remember all of his Imperial Arm's abilities. He had spent last night, and this morning reading the journal, but that didn't mean he remembered the words that activated his Imperial Arm's abilities. He had also scanned over the words this morning, instead of actually studying them, so he couldn't exactly consider that as reading them.

The Lord, who had moved away from Tatsumi earlier, wanted to call out to him, but he had stopped himself from doing so. If Tatsumi was going to change this nation, then he needed to believe in him, and the first step was right here. He needed to have complete and utter faith in him, and believe that he'd come out of this fight as the triumphant one.

"And here I thought you were all talk." Ibara stated as he retracted his arm, a smirk written on his face. "But you actually have some skill. Unfortunately for you, you're still going to die."

Tatsumi said nothing in response, but he knew if he wasn't careful, then he was as good as dead.

With that thought in mind, Tatsumi entered a defensive stance and prepared himself for what was about to come his way.

* * *

Numa's mother was pissed.

She had just been informed about Tatsumi's engagement with Lady Alreid, by Lady Alreid herself, and was currently on her way to go see her son, the King of Espera.

She had remembered their engagement being canceled, and her husband, the late King of Espera, apologizing to head of House Alreid with a formal bow to show how sorry he was, so she was wondering how the two of them became engaged again?

The Queen Mother would have been fine with this engagement had Tatsumi never met Farah, but he did, so there was no way she could allow this. Not to mention, the whole reason Tatsumi ran away from home was because he was being forced to marry her, and that was something he didn't want.

He wanted to fall in love with someone on his own, and choose his bride, not marry someone who he knows very little about and is ten years younger than his mother.

"That idiot." Numa's mother muttered under her breath as she made her way down the hall where a dozen guards stood over and watched. "Your brother is being held captive by the Empire, and instead of gathering forces you're planning on marrying him off to one of the most deadliest people in Espera."

She didn't consider Lady Alreid to be a bad person, but she also didn't consider her to be a good person either. However, if Numa's mother had to say what she considered her to be, she would say that the head of House Alreid was chaotic neutral.

While she may be reliable, and a great benefactor to the Esperan Kingdom, Lady Alreid was someone who was very unpredictable. She wasn't someone who should be taken lightly, and if someone didn't take her serious, then it would be the death of them, either politically or literally, for she would destroy them for getting in her way.

Upon reaching the end of the hall, Numa's mother approached the double doors, but her path was blocked by the two guardsmen who stood outside of the room.

"What are you two doing?" She questioned as she looked at the two Royal Guards who were preventing her from entering the room.

"I'm sorry, but His Majesty told us to not let anyone in." The guardsman on her left stated in an apologetic tone.

" _I'm His Majesty's mother_." Came the mother's response as she shifted her attention towards the guardsman who had spoken to her. Her eyes had narrowed a little bit, which made a chill go down his entire spine.

"I'm sorry, but we have our orders, Queen Mother." The guardsman stated in a voice that was a little bit shaken. He had tried to speak in a calm tone, and show no signs of anxiety, but the woman before him made him feel very small.

"Step aside, _now_." The Queen Mother ordered in a voice that was colder than winter causing the Royal Guards who were stationed down the hallway to feel a shiver go down their spines as well.

The two guards looked at one another after hearing this demand, and after trading looks with one another they moved aside for her. They knew they weren't supposed to do that, but the King's mother was radiating with authority and power, which practically destroyed their confidence.

"Thank you." Numa's mother stated in a much more calmer tone before moving forward and opening the door for herself.

After opening the door, and entering, the Queen Mother was welcomed to the sight of her son, and the highest ranking members of the Royal Guard including the Royal Guard's Battlemaster, Maccabaeus.

The room had fallen silent due to the commotion they had heard outside, but upon seeing his mother, Numa said in a neutral tone. "Mother."

Numa's mother said nothing at first, her eyes glanced over the officers in the room before focusing on her son who was directly across from her.

Once they were on her son, she spoke. "Would you mind giving us the rooms, sirs?"

"We're in the middle of a meeting, mother." Numa stated after a few seconds of silence. He didn't know why she came barging in here, but whatever it was he believed it to be unimportant for the time being.

"Your Majesty, if the Queen Mother is interrupting this meeting, then I think you should hear what she has to say." The Royal Battlemaster declared after witnessing the Queen's Mother's eyes becoming a little narrower. He had been around for a long time, and had seen this woman get angry before, so he knew what was coming.

"If my mother has something important to say, then she can-"

"Why are you planning on marrying Tatsumi off to Lady Alreid when he's in love with Farah?" The Queen Mother interrupted causing Numa to fall silent and advert his eyes back towards his mother.

"... _Mother_." The King of Espera said in a stern tone after what felt like an eternity of silence.

"Answer the question, Numa." His mother demanded in a voice that was full of authority.

"This isn't the place and time to talk about these things, mother." Numa replied after a couple seconds of quietness.

"The whole reason Tatsumi ran away is because he didn't want to marry her, you know that, right?" His mother began in a ridiculing manner which irked her son.

"Yes, I know that." Numa begrudgingly confessed. "But like I said, this isn't the place-"

"If you know that, then why did you tell her he was going to marry her once he returns?" The Queen Mother demanded to know, not even carrying if the leaders of the Royal Guard heard this. "Tatsumi has been in the hands of that _woman_ for months on end, and instead of letting him be with the woman he loves, you plan on marrying him off to the woman that caused him to run away from home, are you an idiot? Do you want him to run away again?"

Numa said nothing, but he could tell that all eyes were on him.

"The Queen Mother doesn't look well, someone escort her to her chambers." Numa stated, breaking the silence that had filled the room and causing her to flinch.

"Yes, Your Majesty." One of the officers on his right answered before getting up out of his chair and approaching the Queen Mother.

Numa's mother didn't say anything. She simply stared at her son who in response averted his eyes elsewhere.

He was too embarrassed to look at his mother anymore.

As the officer moved next to her, she said to her son. "Do you not care about your brother at all, Numa? Is he just a tool for you to use? Do you just not care for his happiness?"

Numa said nothing at first, but once she had been escorted out of the room, he whispered to himself. "Of course I care about him. I wouldn't have gone to war for him if I didn't."

* * *

After moving to his right, Tatsumi slashed at the extended arm that was directly in front of him.

Unfortunately, before his blades could connect with Ibara's arm he moved it away from Tatsumi in an abnormal way, which made it appear as if it was broken when in actuality it was not.

"Heheheh, I think I saw a glimmer of hope in your eyes when you swung at me that time." Ibara declared with a smile as his arm retracted back.

Tatsumi said nothing in response. While he focused most of his attention on his opponent, Tatsumi kept an eye out for the other three assailants. They had yet to move from their spots, but that didn't mean he was going to let his guard down and forget about them, after all their target was the Lord.

He didn't know why the Prime Minister wanted him dead, and would have thought about it if he wasn't preoccupied with Ibara, but because he was, he had to push those thoughts to the side and focus on the fight.

Seeing that Tatsumi wasn't going to respond to his taunt, Ibara launched his left arm at Tatsumi again who avoided it again, but this time instead of retracting it back like he usually did, Ibara pulled his entire figure towards Tatsumi.

The Esperan was taken back by this action, but luckily he was able to react fast enough and evade the swiping attack Ibara threw at him with his right hand.

With himself underneath the tall male, Tatsumi shoved both swords upwards towards Ibara's right armpit, but before the blades could connect a purplish like string came forth from his body and caught the two blades, which stopped them from entering his body.

Tatsumi's eyes widened at this, and he couldn't help from yelling in surprise. "What!?"

Ibara laughed like a madman upon hearing this reaction, and glanced down at Tatsumi with a cruel smile.

"Aww, what's wrong?" Ibara taunted as he continued to hold the two blades in place with the string like substance. "Did your attack not go as planned?"

Tatsumi gritted his teeth in frustration, but refused to say anything. He wasn't going to give Ibara the satisfaction of him knowing that he annoyed him.

While keeping the blades at bay, Ibara used his left arm and punched Tatsumi directly in the chest causing him to let go of the dual swords and go flying away several meters.

He had crashed into a table and broke it, which made him release a small groan, but he couldn't lay there, for Ibara had covered the distance between them and stood over him with the same cruel smile written on his face.

He sent several punches at Tatsumi's face, but none of them were able to connect, for Tatsumi dodged the attacks causing Ibara's fists to hit the stone flooring he was laying on.

The ground broke upon him hitting it, but that didn't stop Ibara at all. He just continued to launch punch after punch at Tatsumi.

Eventually, Tatsumi was given an opportunity to strike back. Ibara's speed had slowed down a little bit, and after quickly analyzing the way Ibara threw his punches, Tatsumi was able to find a way to counter the assault.

After evading Ibara's right fist, Tatsumi lifted his legs up, and placed both of his feet onto Ibara's thighs. He didn't show any signs of being taken back by this action, but that didn't stop Tatsumi from pushing against Ibara's thighs, and making him collapse on top of him.

As he fell, Tatsumi grabbed ahold of Ibara's head, and with no hesitation whatsoever turned it with all his might.

The sound of bones snapping could be heard, and after hearing the sound of Ibara's arms hitting the ground, Tatsumi shoved the corpse off of him.

Tatsumi rose to his feet not long after and looked at the other three assailants, and said to them. "Who's next?"

All three of them had looks of little emotion, but it didn't take long for Mez's expression to soon changed to that of a smile.

"Do you really think it's that easy to kill one of us?" She asked in an amused tone.

Tatsumi said nothing, but before he could look down at the man he believed he had just killed he felt something grab onto his left ankle.

Looking down at his feet, Tatsumi saw a hand holding onto to his calf, and not long after he saw this, he heard Ibara's laughter.

"Gotcha." Was the word that Ibara said in between laughing before throwing Tatsumi up into the air.

As Tatsumi crashed into the ceiling, Ibara got up and snapped his head back into place.

The Lord, who was still watching all of this go down, couldn't help from saying in a low tone. "Tatsumi..." As Tatsumi fell back down onto the floor.

He had landed not that far from his blades, but Tatsumi made no efforts to reach them. He just laid there on the stone cold floor in pain.

 _"We need to get up. If we lay here we will die. We can't die yet. We still have much to do."_ His vengeful alter declared in an attempt to get Tatsumi to stand up.

 _"If Esdeath saw us, she'd look at us with disappointment. We're stronger than this guy, and there is only one person who can toss us around like this and that is Esdeath, get up."_ His other persona declared.

As both alters tried to get Tatsumi to rise to his feet, Ibara slowly made his way towards him. The same grin he had on earlier was back on his face.

"You know, I'm not going to lie, I'm a little disappointed in you." Ibara declared as Tatsumi finally made an effort to reach the blades that were a few feet away from him. "Originally I thought you might have been Esdeath's kidnapped lover, but after seeing this display, I'm sure you're not him, after all, there is no way she'd be in love with someone as weak as you."

Tatsumi said nothing in response, and simply continued to crawl towards the two swords.

Ibara watched this and shook his head in disappointment as he came closer and closer to Tatsumi. "Seeing this is really pathetic, but if you want your final moments to be on your belly, then I have no problem with that." Ibara stated as Tatsumi grabbed ahold of the darker blade of the two twin swords.

Tatsumi again said nothing, and pulled the blade towards him. He had one chance at this, so it was going to be a do or die situation.

After Ibara closed the distance between them and towered above him, he pointed his right hand at Tatsumi's backside. He knew what Tatsumi was going to do, but the attack was going to be in vain, for he planned on moving his body out of the way if the sword came within reach of him.

As Tatsumi tightened his grip on his blade, Ibara said something, but he didn't pay attention to the words, so they were inaudible to him. After he had said whatever though, Tatsumi flipped over and swung the blade horizontally while shouting with all of his might.

" _Fluctus Tenebris_!"

Although it was Tatsumi who had shouted these words by himself, it sounded like three people had shouted them at the same time alongside him.

However, the people in the room did not even pay attention to this small detail, for everybody seemed to be focusing on Ibara who had a wound across his chest and his three fingers on his right hand missing.

"Wh..." Was the sound that escaped Ibara's lips as he took a couple of steps back and placed his hand that still had all of its fingers on top of the wound that was across his chest.

Ibara's comrades were taken back by what the had just seen, but none of them said anything, nor did any of them move to help him, for they were martial artists, and they respected one on one fights. Even if it meant saving Ibara's life, they weren't going to step in at all.

"I'm not weak." Tatsumi declared before reaching for the other blade, and rising up onto his feet. "It just took me a while to figure out how to fight you."

"You... You have an Imperial Arm!?" Ibara roared with traces of anger in his voice as he looked up from his wound, and glared at Tatsumi with eyes full of rage.

"Yes." Tatsumi answered as a small smirk crept up on his face. "I didn't think I'd need to use its abilities, but because you can manipulate your body like that, I figured I should use them."

"You..." Ibara started as his body began to shook. "It doesn't matter for you're still dead meat!"

Ibara took two large steps forward before leaping a little bit into the air with his left hand brought back. His plan was to smash Tatsumi's skull in.

However, Ibara's fist never got the chance to connect with Tatsumi's face, for he had moved too, but he, for some reason, was faster than him. In fact, he was two times faster, and looked to be glowing.

Of course, Ibara didn't see this, white glow, but his comrades did.

Upon Ibara touching the ground, he took in a breath of air before collapsing and dying.

Both of Tatsumi's blades had Ibara's blood on them.

Tatsumi took a few deep breaths before falling to his knees. He would have fallen onto his face had he not caught himself with the dual swords, but luckily he was able to.

He wasn't feeling exhausted, but it did hurt to move his body, and that reason why was because of the cuts and bruises he received from Ibara.

"Wow, he actually managed to kill Ibara! I'm impressed." Mez stated in amazement, ending the silence that had filled the room.

"I know, I had doubted him too, but I guess he wasn't all talk." Suzuka agreed with a small smile that soon turned into a frown. "It's a shame that he still has to die. I bet he could have dished out a tremendous amount of pain if you allowed him to."

Tatsumi didn't say anything in response in response to this, and just simply glanced over at the other three assailants, only to see them crack their knuckles and loosen up their muscles.

Knowing that his odds of winning against the three of them were very low, Tatsumi looked over his shoulder at the Lord and said to him. "I'm assuming this is all part of your visions, right?"

"Um, I'm not sure." The Lord answered with uncertainty causing Tatsumi's grin to vanish completely, although he couldn't see it due to the mask. "Truth to be told, I never had any visions of this happening, so I can't tell you what happens here."

"That's great..." Tatsumi said with a sigh before getting up off of his knees. "The man who tells me that I'm going to be everyone's savior can't even tell me if I make it out of this fight in one piece."

"I'm pretty sure you're going to die." Mez stated with a smirk. "I mean, it's kind of obvious."

"Yeah, I guess it's my fault for trusting fanatics, huh?" Tatsumi retorted with traces of amusement in his voice.

"Yeah, it probably is." Mez replied with a chuckle.

"It most definitely is." Suzuka agreed.

"Mhm, it was your mistake for believing in them." Sten affirmed with a nod of his head. Usually he wouldn't invovle himself with these types of talks, but the man before him was fighter, so he decided to show him some respect, even though he was his enemy.

At this, Tatsumi laughed as well. As much as he wanted to believe that he wasn't going to die here, he had to accept fate. He didn't want to, but he knew he couldn't take on these three by himself, and because of this, he thought he might as well get one good laugh out before dying.

"Well, let's get on with it!" Tatsumi roared while entering a fighting stance. "Come at me with all you got!"

After Tatsumi made that declaration, the three of them charged at Ibara's killer.

* * *

 **(Revan's AN): And there we go, that's the ending of Prince, I'm glad you all enjoyed it, and I'll see you in my next story. I'm kidding, even if I killed Tatsumi off, I think I would still continue the story, we'd just need a new MC. Anyways, Tatsumi had displayed two abilities, but I didn't really talk about them, or say what they did, did I? Not to mention, the only one we could confirm was Fluctus Tenebris, but I did make the second obvious, at least I hope I did. Um, I don't know what else to say, I do think the Ibara fight could have been better, but I didn't want Tatsumi to wipe the floor with this guy, I mean he could have, but then it would be a little unrealistic. I mean, Tatsumi has never dual wielded swords before, so him being able to take on Ibara and mop the floor with him with a fighting style he's never done would just be too unreal. I tried my best here, but I doubt everyone will be pleased with my work.**

 **It's a shame, but I know I can't appease everyone. With that said though, I'm going to go now. I believe this was a good chapter, regardless of what some might think, and I look forward to the next one.**

 **Link to the discord server:** discord .gg/ uDxVym8


	34. Arguments With A Cripple

**(Revan's AN): My laptop is alive! I had stopped trying to fix it and, and it finally turned back on! I guess it needed a break or something? I don't know, I'm just glad it's alive again because writing with a D-Pad is annoying. Also, in case of the person reviewing for I believe a fourth time asks for an Akame Ga Kill x Game of Thrones crossover, let me make it clear here since I doubt they're reading my responses.**

 _ **I WILL NOT BE DOING A CROSSOVER BETWEEN AKAME GA KILL AND GAME OF THRONES!**_

 **There are many reasons as to why I won't do this, but the main reason why is because I hate story requests. Sure, there are some that are decent or interesting, but my problem is that you're not giving me really anything. Unless you're going to give me a plot, characters, scenes, arcs and all of that shit, then you shouldn't ask me to write it, for I'm not going to spend hours of my time building a world and whatnot while you just sit on your ass doing nothing, but ask for me to write a story that you want. Now, with that said, let's jump into _this_ story.**

 **Full Summary:** Tatsumi Seika, the second son of Kaito Seika, was a rebellious child. Unlike his siblings, he didn't care about the duties of a prince, and after being told that he was going to marry some noblewoman, he ran away from home. Now, after five years of being away, Tatsumi has finally returned.

 **Non-canon, single-pairing, OOC Characters.**

* * *

 _"Flashbacks" -_ **Thinking**

"Flashbacks" - _**Talking**_

 _[Flashbacks]_ **\- Letters or Reports.**

 **Theme Song: Ten Million Voices, by Shaman's Harvest.**

 **Main Writer:** Revan the Edgelord

 **Co-Writer:** None.

* * *

Upon opening his eyes, Tatsumi was greeted by the sight of someone's face.

At first, Tatsumi wasn't able to recognize them, but after blinking a few times the fogginess of sleeping disappeared, and he was able to make out the person who stood over him.

"Susanoo." He said in a tired tone as he gazed into the tall man's blue eyes.

"It appears you were right, Jericho." Susanoo said as he shifted his head and looked in the direction of Tatsumi's left. "His first words weren't, 'where am I?' instead he had said my name."

"Well, what do you expect?" Came Jericho's response as Tatsumi turned his head slightly to the left that way he could see Jericho. "You're standing right over him, so of course he's going to say your name."

"Is there another way for me to check his injuries without doing that?" Susanoo questioned in a curious manner.

Jericho stared at Susanoo for a solid five seconds before slowly diverting his eyes towards the old journal that he had in his hands.

Seeing that Jericho wasn't going to give him an answer, Susanoo shifted his gaze back towards Tatsumi who was still looking at Jericho.

Tatsumi saw out of the corner of his eye Susanoo's gaze on him, but at the moment, he didn't care about that. He was more focused on the fact that Jericho was reading the old journal that came with his Imperial Arm.

"Put that down." Tatsumi requested causing Jericho to pause and glance at him. "That doesn't belong to you."

"I don't see your name on it, so I don't see any problems with me reading it." Jericho retorted with a small grin that made Tatsumi furrow his brows and narrow his eyes.

As Tatsumi opened his mouth to respond, Susanoo grabbed Tatsumi's jaw with his left hand and forced him to look straight up.

"What are you doing?" Tatsumi asked as the horned man turned his face back to the left and then the right.

"Checking up on you." Susanoo replied before letting go of him. "My master, Ms. Najenda told me to make sure that the Lord didn't do anything, _strange_ , to your body, so I'm examing you."

"... I see." Came Tatsumi's response after several seconds. He didn't know what Susanoo was going on about, but he was a little curious.

"Tell me." Susanoo started as he suddenly grabbed ahold of Tatsumi's shoulders and made him sit up straight with ease, which caused the blanket that he was laying underneath to fall a little and reveal some of his upper body. "Do you have any recollection of what had happened yesterday afternoon?"

Tatsumi's brows wrinkled as he tried to recall the events of yesterday afternoon.

"I remember a little bit." Tatsumi answered after pondering for a while.

"What do you remember?" Susanoo asked in a firm tone that had a tiny trace of curiosity in it.

"I remember fighting..." Tatsumi began, his lips were curved slightly downwards as he recalled the memory. "An abnormal man, Ibara I believe his name was?"

As he said this, Tatsumi paused and looked at Susanoo to confirm this, but unfortunately, Susanoo's expression was a blank one. He neither confirmed this, nor did he deny it, he just stared at Tatsumi.

Seeing that he wasn't going to get an answer, Tatsumi resumed speaking. "I used my Imperial Arm to kill him, and then I fought his comrades before, before..."

Tatsumi eventually paused again and tried to recollect more of the memory, but was unable to.

"I'm sorry." He said after a few seconds while flashing Susanoo a small grin. "It seems that's all I'm able to remember."

"No problem." Came Susanoo's swift reply. "You had received a head injury yesterday, so it is understandable if you can't recall the events that had taken place at that time."

"If he keeps on receiving blows to the head, then it's going to be a problem." Jericho declared causing the two to look at him. "That's like what? The second time he wasn't able to remember anything due to him taking a heavy hit to the head?"

"Yes, it is." Susanoo acknowledged with a small nod of his head.

"Look, it's not my fault people aim for a very vital spot." Tatsumi rebutted, there was a trace of irritation in his tone.

"I'm not saying it is, but if you keep on taking hits like that it'll be only a matter of time before you forget everything." Jericho stated with a calm and neutral attitude, not even bothered by the fact that Tatsumi had a bit of hostility in his voice. "Memory loss isn't a joke, and sooner or later you'll suffer long term memory loss if you're not careful, and that's something you don't want, right?"

"I don't think anyone wants that." Tatsumi stated in a much more neutral tone.

"I don't see why you're lecturing him." Susanoo declared which made Jericho shift his eyes slightly and focus on the blue-haired male. "The smallest head injuries can trigger memory loss, hearing loss and can also cause blindness depending on where you're hit, so being careful won't prevent that. If anything, being careful will increase his chances of surviving the said injury."

Jericho said nothing in response to this information and simply pulled out his flask that he kept on himself, and took a large swig of it. Once he was done, he then said to the two of them. "My _point_ is to try to avoid taking blows to the head."

With that made clear, Jericho resumed reading the journal, and not long after that did Susanoo continue his examination on Tatsumi.

* * *

"Tatsumi~! Tatsumi~!" Esdeath moaned in ecstasy as she fingered her sexuality with her right hand, while keeping Tatsumi's old coat pushed up against her face. Her voice was a little muffled due to the fabric being pressed into her mouth and nose.

She had been fine a few minutes ago, but upon glancing at the piece of clothing that had Tatsumi's scent, Esdeath's lust for him took control.

At first, she took a whiff of the jacket, but that wasn't enough to calm her down, so then she licked it as well as sucked in hopes that she could taste him. Unfortunately, there was no flavor that filled her body with joy. It didn't taste like his blood, nor did it taste like his sweat. In fact, it barely had any tastefulness.

Because she wasn't able to satisfy herself with this, the Empire's Strongest started to think about him, and began to have lewd thoughts of the Prince of Espera.

She imagined him kissing all of her body in an overly affectionate manner as well as licking it. She pictured him strapped to the bed naked and gagged with metal chains being what kept him down.

These, _fantasies_ , that Esdeath was having had made her body heat up, which then made her strip and start touching the place that she felt like was on fire, her nether regions.

Esdeath had gently rubbed her clitoris at first, and was able to bring herself some pleasure, but that wasn't enough. She wanted more, she wanted _him_.

With her thoughts of him becoming more erotic, Esdeath had changed positions to where she was laying on her side and not on her back and began to pick up the pace of rubbing, which has led her to this moment.

As she softly moaned his name some more, Esdeath could feel that she was on the brink of orgasming.

She increased the speed by just a margin and not long after she did that did Esdeath feel an immense amount of pleasure that she hadn't experience for a while now.

As this blissful sensation surged throughout her body, Esdeath released a long and drawn out, 'Ah!' that eventually came to an end.

After that, Esdeath laid there with her hand still in between her crotch, her face devoided of all emotions.

While she had enjoyed touching herself, it didn't take her long to come to her senses and remember that Tatsumi wasn't with her, and that he was in Night-Raid's clutches.

A sigh escaped her lips not long after remembering this, and she said to herself. "Look what you've made me do, Tatsumi. Because you're not here I've started to do these perverted things to myself."

Esdeath felt like what she had just done was something unbecoming of her, but she couldn't help it, she missed him tremendously. In fact, Esdeath would prefer if Tatsumi had gone back to being the person she had met in Espera instead of being taken from her, for then she'd at least have him, but that wasn't the case.

The reality is that Tatsumi is gone, and she didn't know where he was.

"This is all your fault, and I expect you to take responsibility for it all, Tatsumi." Esdeath thought aloud with her lips moving upwards slightly and forming a small grin. "If you don't I'm going to have to punish you, and make you remember who you belong to."

Thinking about the two of them reuniting made Esdeath's smile widen a little bit. She couldn't wait to see his emerald green eyes again and run her hands through his chocolaty brown hair.

* * *

After Susanoo finished his examination, the organic Imperial Arm told Tatsumi besides his memory loss he appears to be perfectly fine, and informed him that Ms. Najenda wanted to talk to him and that he should go see her immediately.

He also mentioned that she was currently holding onto his swords, and that if he wanted them back, then his best option was going to see her.

Thus being the reason why Tatsumi stood outside Najenda's door at this very moment.

He didn't equip his mask due to him not seeing a reason as to why he should, since he wasn't going outside at the moment, but he did make a mental note to go see a blacksmith, and ask them if they could get it repaired, for the metal mask had received some damage.

The damage it had received wasn't anything significant, but Tatsumi had taken a liking to the mask, and would honestly prefer if it was kept in good condition.

As he let a small sigh leave his lips, Tatsumi opened the door while saying in a loud and clear tone. "Najenda, I-"

The remaining words he was going to say never left his throat, and the reason why they didn't was because Najenda's bionic fist came flying past his head.

"You didn't see anything right, _Prince Tatsumi_?" Najenda questioned as she had her other arm over her chest, which caused Tatsumi to notice that she wasn't wearing anything from the waist up.

Seeing that his eyes had shifted slightly, Najenda gritted her teeth as her cheeks became a little red. "Don't you know it's wrong to go barging into a woman's room without knocking!"

Midway through this declaration, Najenda ran towards Tatsumi with her hand cocked back, signifying that he was about to be hit.

Unfortunately, he didn't snap out of his surprised stated in time, and was punched directly in the face, which made him go propelling backwards a couple of meters down the hall he had walked through earlier.

However, Najenda didn't take into account the possibility of Tatsumi hitting her prosthetic arm's wire and his weight. Because she hadn't done this, when Tatsumi landed on top of the arm's wire, the sudden force not only pulled the bionic hand out of the wall and towards the two of them, it also yanked Najenda forward.

She didn't fall _exactly_ on top of him, but she did land on top of him. Except, Tatsumi didn't feel any blissful feelings; in fact, he felt a tremendous amount of pain, for Najenda's face had slammed down on his nether regions causing him to release a gasp of air.

After a couple of seconds, Najenda lifted her head up, and noticed where she was, but before she could say anything or do anything, Tatsumi said in a painfilled voice with teary eyes as he moved his hands to cover his injured genitals. "Why are you assaulting me?"

...

...

...

"How is it my fault?" Tatsumi yelled at a now fully clothed Najenda with a bag of ice cubes on top of his crotch area and a bag of ice cubes on the right side of his face. "Normal people get showers in the morning and at night, not in the middle of the day!"

"The water was cold this morning, so I had decided to wait for the water to heat up again." Najenda answered in a stern tone with her arms crossed in front of her.

"Okay, but that still doesn't answer how this is my fault, and why you attacked me!" Tatsumi stated in a slightly more quieter voice, but still a loud one. "I didn't hear any water running, and Susanoo told me that _you_ were here, and wanting to see _me_ , so I came to see what _you_ want."

"It's because you looked at my boobs!" Najenda shouted, her cheeks were a little red upon saying the last part, and there was a tinge of embarrassment in her voice. "Honestly, I expect this from Lubbock, but not from the Prince of Espera!"

"It's not like I can't notice them! They're kind of fucking obvious and hard to miss!" Tatsumi roared as he stood up and dropped the two bags of ice.

The two of them glared at one another after this declaration for some time, but eventually, Najenda looked away, and said in a voice that only he could hear. "How about we agree that _this_ never happened, and we don't tell the others?"

At this Tatsumi clicked his tongue as he averted his eyes elsewhere. "As if _I_ had any intentions of telling your subordinates that I saw you half-naked."

Deciding not to continue this topic, Najenda said to him. "Anyways, what did you want to see me about?"

"My Imperial Arm, I'd like it if I could have it back." Tatsumi answered as his tone shifted back to the one he usually talked in.

"Why should I give it to you?" Najenda questioned with curiosity in her voice. "I understand that it's yours, but do you know how much trouble we went through to rescue you? Sheele and Takeo died for you, and you just straight up ran away without saying."

"I'm not taking that blood, and I didn't ask for you to rescue me." Tatsumi stated as his expression darkened. "I may be grateful for it, and be sorry that they died, but what had happened wasn't my fault, so stop trying to put their deaths on my hands, they are already drenched in blood, and they don't need anymore on it."

Najenda said nothing at first, and just stared at him. She knew what happened to them wasn't his fault, but that didn't stop her from feeling annoyed by the fact that Tatsumi just straight up left the mansion without notifying anyone and causing her to send her subordinates out to look for him.

"It doesn't matter, what matters is that I can't trust you." Najenda stated after a while in a firm voice that made Tatsumi's brows wrinkle.

"Those blades are _mine_." Tatsumi declared with a trace of venom in his voice that made Najenda tense a little. "They were given to me by the Lord, and they'll be my instruments in destroying this corrupt nation."

"If you think that's going to convince me to give you them, then you're mistaken." Najenda in the same firm tone. She wasn't going to back down on this, and didn't care if they were given to him, for all they have done so far is caused her problems, problems that could have easily been avoided if he didn't have them.

"That's not your place to decide, _they're mine_." Tatsumi stated as more venom seeped into his voice. His expression darkened a little bit more, and he clutched his fists.

Night-Raid's leader had noticed the tightening of his fists as well as the anger in his voice, but that still wasn't going to change her mind. Sure, the look he was giving her was a terrifying one, but she had seen worse, and wasn't going to give into his demands.

She also doubted that he'd get physical with her over this, but that wasn't going to stop her from mentally preparing for an attack.

"The Lord may have given them to you, but that doesn't mean you can go wherever _you_ please, Tatsumi." Najenda said after a few seconds of the two of them staring each other down. "You're in our custody, and _my_ objective is to get _you_ to the Revolutionary Army alive, and in _one piece_."

"I'm not your prisoner, and I don't have to stay with you guys if I don't want to." Tatsumi said in response in a tone that had more sternness and less anger in it. "So stop acting like Esdeath and-"

Whatever else Tatsumi was going to say was prevented from leaving his mouth for Najenda had slapped him across the face, hard.

The power behind the strike was enough to make Tatsumi look to his left, but it wasn't enough to make him falter, he still stood tall.

"I am not like Esdeath." Najenda declared as Tatsumi shifted only his eyes in her direction. There were multiple emotions in her voice, and he could tell just from gazing into her one eye that he had said something he shouldn't have said.

"... Forgive me." Tatsumi said after a long silence of reflecting with sincerity in his voice. "That wasn't right of me. I shouldn't have said that to you, I was just angry and lashed out."

Najenda stared at him for several seconds before her gaze softened and she released a sigh. "Bulat told me you were thinking of fighting alongside us yesterday, is that true?"

"Yes, I had told him that, what of it?" Tatsumi answered before asking his own question. After she had hit him, Tatsumi had calmed down a little and decided not to continue arguing with her, for he wasn't going to get anywhere with her, she was as stubborn as him, if not more so than him.

Another reason as to why he had decided to drop the arguement was because he could tell that she had suffered from Esdeath's torment before. He may not have known what Esdeath did to her, but he knew that she was a victim like him.

"Do you still want to do that, or have you had a change of heart after what has happened today?" Najenda asked, a tinge of curiosity was in her voice.

"I wouldn't mind," Tatsumi stated after a couple of seconds of thinking. "but I had told him that Esdeath is my responsibility and that I will be the one to deal with her."

"You think you can beat her and kill her?" Najenda said in response with an amused expression.

"I know I can." Tatsumi affirmed as his eyes narrowed. "I just need my swords."

Najenda was silent, she looked into his eyes to see if there was any doubt, she had found none in them. Eventually, she broke her silence, and said to him. "I can convince the leaders of the Revolutionary Army to let you fight alongside us, but if I do that, you'll have to follow my orders to the letter, and do what I say, you got that?"

Instead of asking how she was going to do that, Tatsumi said, "Yeah, but remember that I'll be the one to deal with Esdeath."

Najenda said nothing in response. She instead turned around and walked away towards a large dresser. Once she had reached it, she opened the second to top drawer and put her bionic hand in it.

As she pulled her hand out, Tatsumi was able to see his two swords.

She then turned back around and covered the distance between them before stretching her hand out and offering the two sheathed blades.

Tatsumi stared at them for a few seconds before lifting his hand up and grabbing them, as he did this, Najenda said in a serious tone. "I'm putting my trust in you, so if you break it and go wandering off without telling anyone again, I'm going to hunt you down and bind you to Susanoo."

Najenda hadn't released her grip on the dual swords, when she said this, which caused Tatsumi to look up at her and see that she wasn't joking.

"I won't break it, you have my word." Tatsumi affirmed with a small nod of his head.

Satisfied with that answer, she let go of the blades.

* * *

 **(Revan's AN): And cut. I had originally planned on doing two more scenes in this chapter, but I had decided not to, and have chosen to use them in the next chapter. Anyways, I don't have much to say, so I'm going to go now. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, and sorry if it's a little on the short side, but readers can't be choosers.**

 **Link to the discord server:** discord .gg/ uDxVym8


	35. Interrogations And Goodbyes

**(Revan's AN): Well, I would say sorry that this took longer for me to write, but I was busy, and I honestly don't really feel like writing what happened, for I doubt most of you care about that stuff, so I'll just get into the story. Oh, by the way, to the guest who commented about the "readers can't be choosers" let me ask you this, are you the one who is writing this story? No, you're not. It's me, I'm the one who is spending _my_ _time_ writing this, so therefore I should be able to choose the chapter length, not you. Take offense to that, snowflake. **

**Full Summary:** Tatsumi Seika, the second son of Kaito Seika, was a rebellious child. Unlike his siblings, he didn't care about the duties of a prince, and after being told that he was going to marry some noblewoman, he ran away from home. Now, after five years of being away, Tatsumi has finally returned.

 **Non-canon, single-pairing, OOC Characters.**

* * *

 _"Flashbacks" -_ **Thinking**

"Flashbacks" - _**Talking**_

 _[Flashbacks]_ **\- Letters or Reports.**

 **Theme Song: Ten Million Voices, by Shaman's Harvest.**

 **Main Writer:** Revan the Edgelord

 **Co-Writer:** None.

* * *

After stopping at a blacksmith, and letting them know that he would be back later with his mask that was in need of repairs, Tatsumi went to the Path of Peace Cathedral.

Although Najenda said she trusted him, Tatsumi wasn't alone. He was accompanied by Ieyasu who, in all honesty, didn't want to go, but because Najenda didn't like the idea of Tatsumi going by himself, he was forced to tag along.

The reason why Tatsumi was going to the cathedral wasn't just because he had business with the Lord, it was also because the people he had encountered yesterday were being held at the temple, and he wished to have words with them.

He wanted to know what they knew, and he desired information from them, for their employer was the Prime Minister.

Of course, Tatsumi wasn't the only one who craved for this information, Night-Raid also wanted this information, so two members of the group were already at the cathedral. How he knew this was because Najenda told him this before he left the mansion.

The trip to the cathedral was mostly a silent one and didn't have really anything interesting happen, but upon arriving at the church's massive courtyard something Tatsumi didn't see coming at all happened.

The place had hundreds if not thousands of people who had gathered there, for word of the attack had spread like wildfire as well as the man who had defended the Lord from the would-be killers.

Even though Tatsumi wasn't the only one who had fought yesterday, Night-Raid couldn't take any of the credit, so it all fell on him.

When the two of them arrived at the cathedral, both Tatsumi and Ieyasu were surrounded instantly by the people who had gathered there.

At first, the two of them assumed that they were about to be attacked by the large mob, but after taking one second and hearing what they were saying, they stopped themselves for getting ready for a fight.

The horde of people rushed towards the two black haired males crying out the words such as, "It's Him!" or "That's the man who protected the Lord!" and "It's the Savior! The man the Lord prophecied has come! He's going to save us all!"

Tatsumi didn't exactly understand what some of them meant by, _savior_ , but it didn't take long before the crowd started calling him, the _Savior_ , and treating him as if he was a holy being.

He wasn't sure how he was supposed to react to all of this, and had tried to tell them all that he came here to see the Lord, but the words didn't reach any of their ears.

The majority of them, if not all of them, were practically hellbent in trying to touch him, and to get him to notice them. Why they wanted this, was unknown to him, but what he did know was that he didn't want to experience that ever again.

While they didn't do anything violent to him or Ieyasu, Tatsumi had to keep in mind that these people were fanatics, and at any second they could switch from being nice, and friendly to bloodthirsty killers who'd do anything in the name of their religion.

Eventually, a high ranking member of the Path of Peace along with a security force made their way through the crowd of people to see what was going on since they had no idea what was happening.

However, as soon as the Path of Peace leader saw Tatsumi's mask, he instantly knew who he was and ordered the horde of people to back up and to give Tatsumi and his companion some space.

At first, none of the people had listened to the high ranking member, but after the order was repeated by the man's security force, the crowd listened and gave the two of them their space.

After they did this, the Path of Peace leader apologized to Tatsumi for what just happened, who in response, replied nonchalantly before asking about the Lord and the people who had attacked him yesterday.

Tatsumi, of course, was taken back by the events he had just witnessed, but he didn't show it at all. Instead, he acted calm and collected.

The high ranking member informed Tatsumi that the Lord had some business to take care of with the city's leader, and that he wouldn't be back for some time before enlightening Tatsumi about the two assailants they were holding.

He had also told Tatsumi about where his two _colleagues_ were, and that if he wants, he could take him to them.

However, Tatsumi rejected this offer, and told him that he wished to see the attackers, thus leading him to where he is right now, him standing before the door that held the two assassins.

After exhaling deeply, Tatsumi glanced at the guard to his left, and said to him in a low and grim tone. "I apologize for what you might hear."

The guardsman in response looked at Tatsumi with a slightly confused expression, but didn't say anything. He doubted the Savior would torture the two captives, but if he did, he wasn't going to stop him. They had attempted to kill the Lord, and for that, they deserved death, and he didn't care if it was a painful one or not.

The other guardsman, who was on Tatsumi's right, acknowledged the Savior's words with a nod of his head. He didn't know what he was planning on doing to them, but he was secretly hoping that Tatsumi would torture the two of them to death for all of the vile things they had committed yesterday.

With his point made clear, Tatsumi entered the room alone. Ieyasu would have most likely entered with him, if he was still with Tatsumi, but he had left earlier to go check up on Lubbock and Leone, who were the two members of Night-Raid stationed here for the time being.

Upon entering, Tatsumi saw the two females, Suzuka and Mez in chairs with chains upon chains on top of them, making it look impossible to move. The only light sources in the room were the two torches that were on the left and right side of the room.

As he closed the door behind him, Mez greeted him in a friendly manner, which made it sound like they were never enemies.

"Hey, you're still alive and well; that's good. I thought you died yesterday." Was what she said.

"Oh my, if Sten was here to see this; he'd be shocked." Suzuka stated with a trace of bewilderment in her voice.

"... I'm guessing this isn't your first time being held captive?" Tatsumi asked after several seconds of silently staring at the two of them. He didn't know much about them, but he had expected them to be a little troubled and bothered about the situation they were in.

"Yep!" Mez cheerfully answered.

"I see." Tatsumi said in response before moving to the left side of the room and picking up a wooden chair that was up against the wall and carrying it over to where the two females were and setting it down in front of them.

As he sat down in the chair, he let out a sigh and took his mask off, allowing them to see his facial features.

"Oh, and here I thought you were scarred and ugly." Suzuka stated, a little taken back by the fact that Tatsumi had no wounds on his face, and instead looked handsome.

"I know, right!?" Mez agreed as she cast her companion a sideglance before averting her attention back towards the male in the room. "Although, the beard and mustache could use some trimming."

"Hmm." Came Tatsumi's response as he stared at the blonde.

He had a lot of things he wanted to ask them, and had prepared himself to do horrendous things to them in order to acquire the answers he's seeking, but upon seeing them chained up, all of that vanished.

In fact, it made him recall a memory. A memory of him being in a situation similar to this, but instead, he was the one being held captive, and not the capturer.

As he started to remember the past, his lips curved slowly downwards, until it became a fully fledge frown.

Seeing Tatsumi started to pique Mez's curiosity, until eventually, she asked him. "Hey, why are you making that face? Don't tell me you don't like this look on us?"

Not even bothering to answer her questions, Tatsumi said in response. "You're way too relaxed for the situation you're in; it makes me pity you a little. Because you have been in this scenario so many times, you can make those jokes with that carefree smile of yours. A part of me truly feels sorry for you."

Mez said nothing after hearing this, but she did furrow her brows.

After a small silence passed, Tatsumi broke it by saying, "Anyways, I assume the others who came before me wanted the same thing, right? Information on the Prime Minister, and why he wanted you guys to kill the Lord?"

"Yep." The two answered simultaneously.

"I see." He stated with a small nod of his head. "And I'm guessing you refused to give this information?"

"Of course, why should we?" Suzuka asked with an amused grin.

"Because you'd have nothing to gain from telling them?" Tatsumi answered with a shrug of his shoulders. While he may not know much about these two, what he did know was that their lives were already forfeited. If the Path of Peace wouldn't kill them, then he was pretty sure the Revolutionary Army would since they work for the Prime Minister.

"Exactly." Mez agreed with a small smirk. "If we give this information up, they'll just kill us since we would have no other uses, right? We'd just be useless mouths for them to feed, when they don't need to."

"I don't think the Lord would kill you." Tatsumi declared after a while with his own smirk as he tilted his head back slightly and looked at the ceiling. "He is many things, but he is not someone who takes life. At least, that's what I believe."

"He may not, but do think his followers would let us live?" Mez questioned causing Tatsumi to shift his attention back towards her, and his smirk to vanish. "They treat him as if he were a God, and we attempted to kill that God, so do you truly believe that they'll let us live?"

Tatsumi was silent. While the majority of the Lord's followers obeyed his commands, he was sure that a small portion would refuse to listen to him, and murder these two for what they've done behind his back. They'd do it because they'd think that the Lord is too kind, and that they'd have to do it for him.

"You're probably right, so what do you plan on doing?" Tatsumi said after a couple of seconds.

"Stay silent and let them torture me." Suzuka answered with a smile along with red cheeks. "If the Path of Peace doesn't do it, then I'm sure Night-Raid would. After all, what I know is something they can't afford to pass up, am I right?"

Tatsumi didn't respond, and instead slowly shifted his eyes from Suzuka to Mez. She appeared to be in thought.

"I might be willing to trade what I know," Mez started causing Suzuka's eyes to widen before looking at her. "but that depends on what you have to offer."

"Mez!" Suzuka declared with a trace of uncertainty in her voice, making the blonde look at her. "What are you doing?"

"I'm looking out for myself." Mez answered with a confused expression written on her face, not understanding why she was taken back by this. "If telling him what he wants to know can save my life, then I'll gladly tell him what he wants to know. Besides, the Prime Minister would do the same thing if he was in our position, so can you really blame me for doing the same?"

At this, Suzuka didn't say anything, for she knew that Mez was right. If the positions were reversed, then the Prime Minister would have sold them out without even hesitating for a split second. He was just that type of person, who'd do anything if it meant saving his skin.

"And what makes you think I'd honor our deal?" Tatsumi stated with a slightly amused look written on his face. "What's stopping me from cutting your throat after you tell me what I want to know?"

"Because you're a man of honor, and princes don't break their promises." Mez stated with a shit eating grin causing the amused expression that he had to disappear completely. "And judging by that look, it seems I'm right, right _Tatsumi Seika_?"

Suzuka upon hearing this was taken back, but after staring at Tatsumi intensely, she immediately noticed that he looked like Esdeath's lover, Prince Tatsumi of the Espera.

"How did you know?" Tatsumi questioned in a grim voice that had no traces of joking in it whatsoever.

"I mean' it's kind of obvious." Mez replied in a relaxed manner. "Your name is Tatsumi, and Night-Raid came to your rescue, so only an idiot would fail to connect the dots. Not to mention, I saw you in the Capital City when you had first arrived, so yeah."

"I see," Tatsumi said before a sigh escaped his lips. "but that doesn't make me a man of honor, and princes don't always keep their words."

"You're right, but I got a good feeling that you can see to it that I don't go to the grave early." Mez cheerfully declared with a smile.

At this, Tatsumi huffed in an amused way. "Alright, you tell me what I want to know, and I'll make sure you leave this city with your head on your shoulders. You'll of course still be bound in chains, but you'll still be alive. I would offer your friend this, but I doubt she'd take it."

"You're probably right." Mez agreed, which made Suzuka flinch a little.

"Mez, are you seriously going to betray the Empire?" Suzuka questioned after recovering from the comment, traces of curiosity were in her voice.

"I don't see why not." Mez replied nonchalantly. "The Empire is losing ground every day to the Revolutionary Army, so I don't see why I shouldn't jump ship before being taken down with it."

Suzuka was silent, but she couldn't help from feeling a little hurt. She had known Mez for a long time, and had trained together with her, so her betraying the Empire, felt like a stab in the back.

"She's not wrong." Tatsumi declared in a firm tone that made both of them focus on Tatsumi. "The Empire is going to fall. It might take some time, but I will make sure it falls. You have my word."

Neither of them said anything at first, but the determination in his eyes made it quite clear that he wasn't joking.

It also made them wonder in the back of their heads if this was why Esdeath fell in love with him? If tis determination was what made her choose him to be her lover.

However, not long after this declaration was made, Mez began to reveal what she knew, while Suzuka contemplated on her options. She had never had any traitorous thoughts before, but after hearing Mez's statements, she started to wonder if she should look out for herself as well.

* * *

Lady Alreid had a neutral expression as she watched the youngest Seika train with his sword instructor from the second floor.

The boy was gifted, which was a shame for him, for this war with the Empire would be over within a year, at least that's what she believed.

She originally disliked the idea of going to war over the dead king's brother, but after finding out about Tatsumi's fate with her _connections_ , she saw that this war could work in her favor.

Lady Alreid didn't love the young prince like the woman she has heard about named _Farah_. In fact, she knew only a little bit about him. However, that didn't really matter when it came to marriages between nobles.

A vast majority of the nobles married one another for one thing, and one thing only, and that was power. There was only a handful who'd marry out of love.

Now, she wasn't doing this out of love, since her love for him was very little, she was doing this for the survival of her bloodline. Tatsumi may be fifteen years younger than her, but the fact remains, he's a member of the royal family. She couldn't marry Numa for he was the King of Espera now and he needed a young queen, and their younger brother still had some years to go, and not to mention, by the time he comes of age she'd be going on forty.

Plus, many men her age marry women younger than her, so there's nothing wrong with her doing the same thing.

As she continued to watch Akihiko train, a tiny smile formed on her face. The child was similar to Tatsumi when she had seen him train in the past, silent, full of determination, and swift as a wolf.

Eventually, after who knows how long, his training came to an end, and upon it ending, a man wearing the Royal Guard's armor approached her.

"Lady Alreid," He started causing her small smile to disappear and avert her attention away from the third prince. "the Queen Mother has requested your presence, she has asked me to bring you to her, _immediately_."

"Oh?" Was Lady Alreid's response. "And pray tell why is that?"

"She did not say, my lady. She had only told me to bring you to her." He answered in a stern voice.

"Huh, well if she wants to see me, then who am I to refuse?" Lady Alreid declared, a bit of amusement in her voice.

...

...

...

Upon entering the Queen Mother's quarters, Lady Alreid was welcomed to the sight of the former queen watering the few plants she had in her room.

"Lady Alreid, is that you?" The Queen Mother asked as she continued to water her plants.

"Yes, I heard you wanted to see me, Queen Mother?" Lady Alreid answered as the guard who had opened the door closed it behind her.

"Why yes, of course." The Queen Mother said in response as she ceased watering the plants and set the pitcher down on the table next to her. "I wanted to speak to you about your engagement with my son."

"Oh, is that so?" Lady Alreid questioned as she tilted her head to the left slightly.

"Yes, that is so." She replied in a firm manner as she stared at the younger woman.

"I see, well what do you wish to discuss about it?" Lady Alreid asked, as she straightened her head.

"Why are you wanting to marry him? I understand we had promised you him in the past, but after he ran away, we broke the engagement off and apologized to you, so why are you forcing him to marry you now?" The Queen Mother questioned in a stern tone as she glared at Lady Alreid who's expression didn't waver at all.

"Isn't it obvious?" Lady Alreid rebutted, latched to her voice was amusement. "Tatsumi is young, and a prince, any women would want someone like that as their husband, am I wrong?"

"No, but you do not love him." The Queen Mother declared, not even slightly amused by what she had just said to her.

"What's your point?" Lady Alreid asked with no traces of amusement in her voice this time. "A lot of nobles have married people that they're not in love with, so why is it a problem with me?"

"Because he is my son." She stated, a firm expression written on her face. "And I want him to be happy. He has suffered enough, and I feel you cannot make him happy."

"Well, we won't know until I marry him, now will we?" Lady Alreid said in response as a small grin formed.

"That is something I'm not willing to risk. I'm breaking this engagement off." The Queen Mother affirmed as she glared at the raven-haired woman.

"I'm sorry, but that's not your decision to make, you are the king's mother now, nothing more. Your son is the head of the Seika family now, and is the only one who can break this engagement off, besides me of course." Lady Alreid declared, her small smile still plastered onto her face.

The Queen Mother said nothing and kept a calm expression, but underneath she was angry. She knew what Lady Alreid said was true, while she may have a say in the matter, the one who gets to decide things like this at the end of the day was Numa. Of course, Tatsumi could still try to break off this engagement, but he wasn't here, and had no idea this was going on.

"Now, if you excuse me, Queen Mother, I'm going to go. This talk has made me tired, so I think I'll return to my quarters and take a bath before taking a nap." Lady Alreid stated in the belief that this conversation was over, which angered the Queen Mother even more.

The Queen Mother didn't say anything, and simply continued to stare at Lady Alreid as she turned around and walked off. She wanted to threaten her and tell her that if she continues down this path, then she'd regret it, but no words came out of her mouth, for she knew she wasn't going to have the last word in this.

* * *

Not long after Tatsumi finished speaking with Mez and Suzuka did the Lord return.

"Tatsumi, I'm happy to see you up and about. I thought it might have taken you a couple of days to wake up, but I guess I was wrong." The Lord declared upon running into the masked male.

"Did you really?" Tatsumi questioned with skepticism in his voice. Susanoo had informed him that it was the Lord who had attended to his injuries, so he couldn't help from doubting the man since he was the one who took care of him.

"Yes." The Lord affirmed, not even offended by the doubt Tatsumi had for him. "Just because I did what some consider a miracle doesn't mean I know when you'd wake up. Everyone's bodies are different from one another."

While Tatsumi did have to agree with him about everyone's bodies being different from each other, he couldn't stop himself from gazing at the Lord with doubt.

"Anyways, I wanted to ask you a few things, if you have the time?" Tatsumi stated after a few seconds of silence.

"Of course, what would you like to discuss?" The Lord said in response with the usual friendly smile he'd show Tatsumi.

"Is it true that I'll die if I use the true trump card over three times?" He asked in a serious tone as the Lord gestured to walk with him.

"That..." The Lord began as the two started their walk before pausing for a few seconds. "I do not know. The man who had written that journal died five hundred years ago, so I do not know if it's true or false. "

"I see, so I'm guessing you don't know if the Imperial Arm's abilities are real or just made up?" Tatsumi asked as a small frown formed underneath the black mask he wore.

"Well, let me ask you this." The Lord replied as he cast the shorter man a look. "Do you think the man who wrote that journal would write false things about the weapon's abilities?"

"I don't know; I didn't know him." Tatsumi answered quickly.

The Lord said nothing at first, and instead just simply gazed at the prince for a couple of seconds. He had never met someone like him before, so he couldn't help from looking at him with a bit of awe in his eyes.

Noticing the Lord's gaze lingering on him, Tatsumi asked his next question. "Anyways, what about the two assassins, what do you plan on doing with them?"

"I was going to leave their fate in yours and your group's hands." The Lord answered as he averted his eyes forward, and a small smile manifested on his face. "After all, if it wasn't for you all, I would not be here today. I would have died yesterday by their hands, so I think it is best if I leave them in your guys' hands."

"I see." Tatsumi answered after swiftly glancing at him to see if he was being serious about this.

"Why? Do you want me to handle them?" The Lord asked with curiosity in his voice as he came to a stop and looked at Tatsumi, which caused him to stop as well.

"No, I was just curious since they were being held by the Path of Peace." Tatsumi affirmed in a stern tone as he gazed at the blonde.

"The Path of Peace has no reason to hold onto them. We're not a part of this war yet, so holding onto assassins of the Empire would only cause problems for us." The Lord declared with a serious look in his eye.

"When will you be a part of this war?" Tatsumi asked as he tilted his head slightly. He was more curious about this, and wanted to know when the Path of Peace would supposedly get involved in this civil war.

"Soon, but not now." The Lord answered.

"I see." Came Tatsumi's usual response, traces of displeasure were latched to his voice.

"Don't be upset Tatsumi." The Lord declared with the same friendly smile he'd give him as he put a hand on his shoulder. "It won't be long, and this will not be the last time we talk. We will see each other again before this war over. God wills it."

* * *

 **(Revan's AN): So, originally I wanted to do like 8k plus words, and like seven scenes, but instead, I got um... Lazy, yeah that's the word, and decided only to do three scenes. Why? Well it was because the other three scenes had no use at all really, I mean, they'd just increase word count, and that's about it, so I choose not to write them in. Yeah, I know that means fewer words for you to read, but I update every 5-13 days, so yeah, I think 4k plus is okay chapter lengths. Now if I wrote monthly like some people, then I probably would write these scenes in, but because I don't, there are no extra scenes. Anyways, this is the end of the Kyoroch arc, and we're now moving onto the next one, so yeah. Look forward to that.**

 **Link to the discord server:** discord .gg/ uDxVym8


	36. The Return To The Capital City

**(Revan's AN): Let's get into the story.**

 **Full Summary:** Tatsumi Seika, the second son of Kaito Seika, was a rebellious child. Unlike his siblings, he didn't care about the duties of a prince, and after being told that he was going to marry some noblewoman, he ran away from home. Now, after five years of being away, Tatsumi has finally returned.

 **Non-canon, single-pairing, OOC Characters.**

* * *

 _"Flashbacks" -_ **Thinking**

"Flashbacks" - _**Talking**_

 _[Flashbacks]_ **\- Letters or Reports.**

 **Theme Song: This Will Be The Day, by Jeff Williams and Casey Lee Williams.**

 **Main Writer:** Revan the Edgelord

 **Co-Writer:** None.

* * *

Iokal couldn't hide his smirk as the whip he held in his right hand hit the young woman's back before him, who released a very loud painfilled cry because of this.

He was a short man with a bit of a round build. He had black hair that had a streak of purple on the left side of his bangs. He wore small, round glasses that didn't even cover his eyes. His outfit consisted of a military-like green uniform that had a white fur collar, which signified that he was a high-ranking member of the Empire, a red sash and gold epaulets. He also wore black boots and black gloves.

"It hurts!" The young lady yelled in tears after being struck by the whip again.

"Oh, does it?" Iokal asked, traces of amusement in his voice. "Does it hurt?"

"Yes!" She shouted, which caused her to be hit for a third time.

As she released another shriek full of pain, Iokal laughed out loud, and started to strike her multiple times. "Good! Now you'll know how I feel after finding out that you have a husband! Next time, you'll think twice about seducing me you used goods!"

"But I didn't-Kyaah!" She tried to speak, and tell him that she didn't seduce him, but upon her uttering these few words, she was struck hard by the whip.

"Bitches howl! Howl for me, you dirty bitch!" Iokal roared as he repeatedly swung the whip at her and forced her to release painfilled howls.

Eventually, after working up a sweat, Iokal ceased his whipping and stared at the woman's now extremely bloody back. She was crying and shaking tremendously.

"Let that..." He began as he exhaled deeply, showing that he was short of breath. "Let that be a lesson for you to not seduce men, and to be faithful to your loving husband."

With that said, Iokal struck her one more time before exiting the room.

Upon leaving the room, he looked to the guard that was on his right and said to the muscular man. "Do whatever you want with her; I'm done with that bitch."

At this, the guardsman flashed Iokal a grin before entering the room.

As the door closed behind the guard, Iokal directed his attention towards the guard who stood on his left and said to him. "Let's go, I'm hungry, and a man needs his privacy when handling a bitch."

"I know a bar that could use an _inspection_ , sir." The guardsman started with a smirk as Iokal began to walk off with him right behind him. "I went there the other night with Holliday, and the serving girls were cute as fuck. I think you'd like them."

"Cute you say?" Iokal questioned as he glanced over his shoulder at his bodyguard who nodded his head to confirm this. "That's something you rarely say, so they must be beauties!"

Iokal joyfully smiled as he announced that. He liked cute and beautiful things, for he loved breaking them. Of course, he'd never break them alone, no he was a team player, and would let his bodyguards get in on the fun too.

However, his smile didn't last long, for not long after it manifested on his face, did he hear a scream. Now, he had been listening to the girl, who he had just finished whipping, screams, for some a while now, but this scream was different. It was a sudden blood-curdling scream full of shock and surprise.

He wasn't the only one who had heard this. The guardsman who was following him also heard the shriek and turned around to look down the corridor.

It was as silent as a crypt. Like a breeze, the scream came and went, without a single trace to signify that it had happened, and the woman's outcries came to a halt, and could no longer be heard by the two of them.

Iokal looked at the back of his guardsman with traces of concern etched onto his face. They weren't the only ones in the mansion, he was sure his other bodyguards had heard the scream, and knew they'd be coming to see what had happened any second now, but that didn't stop him from feeling scared. It also didn't help that it was late at night, and that the hallway was somewhat dark.

"G-Go check it out." Iokal ordered as he lightly pushed the muscular man forward causing, who looked over his shoulder at him.

As the guardsman looked at him, Iokal saw out of the corner of his right eye, the door to the room he had left earlier, open slowly.

"L-L-Look!" Iokal stuttered as he pointed his finger forward causing the man to snap his head back, and watch the door open gradually before coming to a stop.

Not long after it came to a stop did a man leisurely walk out of the room with two blades in his hands that looked somewhat like rapiers.

He wore a long black coat, with studded leather on top of this with a black and steel spaulder over his left shoulder. he had black gloves and underneath the trench coat was a dark blue tunic, but none of these things caught Iokal's eyes. No, what gained his attention was the black and gold mask that had rectangular slits for the person to see through.

He couldn't see the person's eyes, but he could feel them on him. In fact, it felt like his soul was being pierced by them.

Iokal's bodyguard didn't move from his spot, nor did he try to unsheathe the blade that was strapped to his belt. He also knew that the person he was gazing at was Iokal, but that didn't stop fear from grabbing ahold of his heart.

As the masked man slowly tilted his head to the right, Iokal gained some courage, and shouted at him. "Who are you?"

The masked man said nothing.

"Why are you here!?" Iokal shouted, his voice trembling more so than before.

At this, the masked man replied, but not with words. Instead, he slowly lifted up the sword in his right hand and pointed it directly at Iokal.

Upon seeing this, Iokal let out a fearful gasp as he took a step back.

The masked man in response to seeing him take a step back took a step forward, which increased the fear that was coursing throughout Iokal's body.

"K-Kill him." Iokal croaked in a voice that had nothing but terror in it.

The guardsman at first was hesitant to move, but after seeing the masked man take two more steps towards them, he realized that he had to fight. The man before them was here to kill Iokal, and if he didn't protect him, then the Prime Minister would have him tortured to death.

After unsheathing the blade from his waist, the guard placed his right hand at the bottom of the hilt, and said in a low tone to Iokal. "Go, I'll hold the-"

" _Fluctus Tenebris_!" The masked man shouted without warning with a voice filled with power and power alone as he swung the blade in his left hand sideways.

"-assassin?" The guardsman finished in a voice that was now full of uncertainty. He didn't know why, but for some reason, he couldn't feel his arms or legs.

Iokal released a terrified gasp as he saw the man before him head come off, and yelled at the top of his lungs. "M-Monster!"

As he shouted this, he spun around and broke into a sprint towards the double doors that were only a few meters away from him.

"Help! Guards help!" He cried out aloud as he broke down one of the doors by slamming into with his body, which was something the masked man didn't see coming at all.

However, this action had made Iokal lose the moment he had and stumble a bit before coming to a complete stop.

What had made him stop moving was the thing he saw before him.

Hanging from the ceiling with their feet dangling above the ground were the two guards who were stationed in this hallway. Their eyes were wide open, and blood was slowly falling off of their bodies onto the pool of blood below them.

Iokal was taken back by this sight, and had completely forgotten that these two were here, so when he had seen them like this, he couldn't help from stepping back away from their bodies.

This horror didn't last long though, for when he took a step back he bumped into something. He didn't know what he had bumped into, but after remembering who was after him, Iokal turned around and was welcomed to the sight of the masked man standing right behind him and staring at him.

"Eek!" Was the noise that left his mouth as he spun himself around and leaped away from the silent man.

"S-S-Stay back." Iokal stuttered as he put a hand up and took several steps back, which caused him to bump into one of the hanging corpses. "I-I'm war-warning y-you."

"... Or else what?" The masked man questioned in a low and gruff tone that practically had no emotions in it at all.

"I'll..." Iokal started as the masked man walked towards him, which made him take a few more steps back. "I'll tell the Prime Minister! He's my uncle, and-"

"And how are you going to tell him?" The masked man asked, a tiny trace of amusement was in his voice as he said this. "I don't know if you have been paying attention, but you're not leaving this mansion alive. You're going to die here, clawing at your neck to stop the blood from coming out."

Iokal upon hearing this released another frightful gasp, and tried to pick up the pace of his back steps, but because he didn't see where he was going, he didn't notice the headless body behind him and tripped on the deceased person's legs.

"Aaah!" Was the shriek that came out of Iokal's mouth upon crashing onto the ground. However, that didn't stop him from moving back, he used his feet, and arms to move himself, while keeping an eye on the killer before him who casually stepped over the dead body that he had tripped on earlier.

"Wait-Wait-Wait!" Iokal shouted as he ceased crawling backwards and held up his left hand, signifying for the man in front of him to stop. "We... We could work out a deal! I, I don't know why you're doing this, but I'm sure you're a reasonable man, right?"

"I am." The masked man answered as he stared down at the fat man.

"Yeah, so hear me out!" Iokal pleaded in a somewhat quieter voice. "If you let me live, I can give you whatever you want. You want women? Done, I can get you that. You want money? Done, I can get you that as well. You want a high ranking position in the Imperial Army? Consider it done as well, for I can get you that too, whatever you want I can get you that, all you have to do is let me live."

The masked man said nothing in response to all of this. Instead, he just stared at the man in silence.

Seeing that he was silent, Iokal began to talk again. "Do-Do we have a deal? Are you going to let me live?"

"... What if I want vengeance?" He asked Iokal in a serious tone. "Can you get me that?"

"Vengeance?" Iokal repeated with a frown, not sure what he meant by that. "What do you mean by vengeance? Have I done something to you in the past!? If I have I'm sorry, I didn't mean to! Just please don't kill me!"

"No, you didn't." The masked man stated in a low and firm voice as he sheathed the blade that was in his right hand. "In fact, I doubt we have ever crossed paths before. Unfortunately for you, I could care less about that. All I care about is exacting vengeance on this corrupt nation, and what better way to do that, then to kill the Prime Minister's nephew?"

"Wait-" Was all Iokal could say before the masked man swung his blade at his throat.

...

...

...

After watching Iokal die and grab at his bloody neck in an attempt to stop the bleeding, Tatsumi let loose a sigh and flung the blood off of his sword before sheathing it. He didn't consider what he had just done to be an act of justice, but a part of him did feel a little good.

The man was a scumbag, and in all honesty, deserved a more painful death, but Tatsumi had wasted enough time with the man, and needed to get a move on or else he'd never hear the end of it from Najenda.

She'd yell at him and tell him that he can't let his feelings get in the way, and that the objective is to kill the target, not to torture them and miss the window or anything like that. How he knew this was because she told him these things multiple times before he embarked on this mission.

Before walking away from the corpse, Tatsumi glanced at it one more time just to make sure that the target was dead. Although, he highly doubted they were alive.

After he had confirmed that the man was as good as dead, Tatsumi reached into his coat and pulled out a leaflet that had a logo on it and nonchalantly tossed it onto the man.

The emblem that was on this leaflet was none other than Night-Raid's emblem. Now, usually Night-Raid wouldn't do these types of things, but because they hadn't in Capital City for almost two months now, they needed to do this.

As for the reason why, it was to let the Empire know that they're back, and are ready to take them on again.

With this done, Tatsumi began to make his way towards the mansion's front door. He would have gone back for the whipped woman, but Lubbock had already seen to her with his wires, so there was no point for him to go back the way he came. His part of the mission was done, and now all that was for him to do was rendezvous with the other members of Night-Raid and head on back to the hideout.

While walking down the corridor, Tatsumi's thoughts drifted towards a certain blue haired woman.

Esdeath, the woman who had done so much to him was not far from him at all. In fact, the palace was about an hour away max, so if he really wanted to, he could pay her a visit.

However, he had no intentions of doing this. As tempting as it is, Tatsumi knew that he wasn't ready yet. He may have memorized the words to activate his Imperial Arm's abilities, and trained in dual wielding for about a month, but that didn't mean he was ready to take on Esdeath.

She was more experienced with her Imperial Arm and a master swordsman, so if he tried to take her on now, he'd most definitely lose.

Not to mention, he had yet to come to terms with his feelings for her. He knew deep down that she had to die for everything she had done, but there was a small part of him that wondered if killing her was the best option.

 _"I'm such a coward..."_ He thought to himself as he reached the end of the corridor. _"I tell myself and others that I'll be the one to kill her, but here I am lacking the resolve to do that, and wondering if there is another way to end this without ending her life."_

After labeling himself a coward, Tatsumi's thoughts drifted towards Espera, or to be specific, his family.

He wondered if his letter had finally reached them, and wished he could see them one more time, for he didn't know if he was ever going to see them again.

* * *

Numa had a look of deep thought as he sat in his chair with his left hand placed against his mouth, and his right hand underneath his left elbow to support it.

He had just summoned his family to his study not too long ago, for he had finished reading the letter that was delivered by a Revolutionary Army courier.

He didn't know what to think after reading it, and because of this, Numa picked the sheet of paper up and began to read it again.

 _[Dear Family,_  
 _You all probably have heard of this by now, but I'm still alive._  
 _I know, you all are probably wondering how I survived, and to be honest, it wasn't easy._  
 _I lost parts of me, and have scars that run deep through me, but I bet you're all wondering why I haven't come home?_  
 _I mean, I have escaped Esdeath's clutches, so surely it wouldn't be hard for me to return home, right?_  
 _Well, there are things I have to do here, things that need to be finished._  
 _My fight with Esdeath, it's not over. As long as she breathes it'll never be over._  
 _I know, you're all probably wondering what the hell am I thinking, or am I insane, but I have to kill her, I have to._  
 _She... She did a lot of things to me, and has done terrible things to countless people, so somebody has to stop her._  
 _I don't know if I'll ever get to see you all again, so if I don't I just want to say that I love you_ all, _and that I'm sorry._  
 _For everything, I was terrible a son, and a horrible brother. I wished I had spent more time with you all, instead of distancing myself from you all._  
 _If I had a chance to rewind time, I would take it just so I could be with you all longer._  
 _This letter is pretty long now, and I don't know what else to write down, so I guess this is the end of it._  
 _I just wished I had more time with you all._  
 _Love,_  
 _Tatsumi.]_

After he finished rereading the letter, Numa tossed it onto the desk in a somewhat angry manner.

He wanted to scream out in anger. He wanted to curse Tatsumi out of frustration, but most of all, Numa wanted to cry due to the pain he felt in his chest.

However, he didn't have the willpower to do any of this. He was far too annoyed to do anything. All he wanted to do now was be alone, but he had to tell his family this, they deserved to know what was going on.

Not long after he read the piece of paper for a second time did his family arrive.

"Numa what is it?" His mother questioned upon seeing his facial expression. "Did something happen?"

"Yeah, you look really upset." His sister stated with a look of concern written on her face. "Did one of the Lords-"

"Tatsumi isn't coming back." Numa curtly interrupted as he shifted his eyes from the table to his family members.

"W-What?" His mother asked with a slightly confused look. She along with her children didn't understand what he meant at all by that.

Numa said nothing after his declaration, and simply averted his eyes elsewhere. He no longer had the mental strength to look them in the eye, and tell them what Tatsumi planned on doing. He had told himself earlier that he would, but after seeing their faces, how could he?

"Numa, what do you mean by that?" Yuki questioned, her voice trembling oh-so-slightly.

Numa didn't respond, and just continued to look away.

"Numa! What do you mean by that?!" Yuki demanded as tears started to form. "What happened to Tatsumi!?"

"Yuki..." Numa's mother started as she reached out to put a hand on her daughter's shoulder only to fail due to Yuki walking around the desk.

As Yuki grabbed ahold of her older brother and screamed at him with tears flowing down her face, the youngest Seika noticed the small sheet of paper that was slightly rolled up on top of everything else.

Curious as to what was on it, Akihiko moved forward a little and picked up off of the desk. He then unrolled it, and began to read what was on it.

Numa's Mother would have noticed her son do this had she not been focusing on prying her daughter off of her oldest child.

After he finished reading the contents of the sheet of paper, the youngest Seika moved to his mother's side and grabbed ahold of left arm causing her to stop trying to rip her daughter off of her son and glance down at him.

"What is it?" She asked in a slightly frustrated voice while continuing to hold onto her daughter. "Can't you see I'm a little busy here with your sister?"

Akihiko said nothing, and just simply showed her the letter from Tatsumi.

Seeing the sheet of paper, the Queen Mother let go of her daughter completely and took the paper from her son. As much as she wanted to get her daughter to calm down and stop yelling at Numa, who had practically shut down, she decided to see what had gotten Akihiko's attention.

After taking the piece of paper from her son, the Queen Mother started to read it. At first, her expression was like stone holding little to no emotion, but as her eyes slowly drifted downwards, her expression changed.

By the time she had finished reading the letter tears formed in her eyes.

"Tatsumi..." She said in a low tone as she put her left hand over her mouth. She wanted to let loose a thousand tears, but she didn't, for she had remembered what Numa had been doing for the past month.

Deciding to not let her emotions get the better of her, the Queen Mother took a deep breath and wiped away the tears before saying in a voice filled with power. "Numa, how many men have you gathered at Fort Defiance?"

The question was sudden and abrupt, and caused not only Yuki to stop shouting at her brother, but had made him snap out of the state he was in.

Glancing at his mother, who was staring directly at him, Numa said in a low tone. "Around three hundred thousand."

Two hundred and fifty thousand was the number of soldiers Numa had under his command when the war with the Empire started, so hearing this made his mother smile slightly.

"Do you think that will be enough of an invading force for the Empire?" His mother asked, which caused his expression to change to one of thought.

"... Y-Yes." Numa answered after a long time contemplating. "There will be dozens of fortresses between us and the Empire's capital city, but from what our scouts report they have skeleton crews, so it won't take us long to deal with them."

"Then I think it's best to begin the invasion." His mother declared in a firm tone. "If we wait any longer then the odds of Tatsumi surviving this war will be low, we need to strike now, and begin the campaign."

"But there are still dozens of Lords and Ladies who had yet to support us in this war, what about them?" Numa questioned with a look of concern. While most of the powerhouses of Espera had decided to take part of this war, there were still a handful of them and lesser houses who hadn't responded to the call, or said that they won't be supporting them in this war.

"Let me deal with that, you just worry about saving Tatsumi, okay?" His mother said with a look in her eyes that made Numa shudder.

"Okay."

* * *

Esdeath released a sigh as she marched down the hallway towards the meeting room.

It had been about a month and a half since she had last seen Tatsumi, and since then her happiness has slowly deteriorated over time to the point where she rarely smiled.

There had been no word of Night-Raid since the attack, which made her believe that Night-Raid fled the Capital City for good. She had hoped in secret that someone would get some information on them, or more specifically Tatsumi, but the group had vanished like ghosts, so she had no choice, but to give up on this.

She hated herself right now, and couldn't stand how she was acting, but she couldn't help it. Tatsumi was everything she could want in a mate.

He was strong, resilient, had a great sense of humor, in her opinion, and was young. He was practically the male counterpart for her, but because she was careless and didn't take into consideration Night-Raid's boldness, she lost him.

A part of her at one point thought that Tatsumi had planned this, but that thought didn't last long, fo she realized how idiotic that idea was. Tatsumi had practically spent all of his time with her, and when he did leave the base it was with her, so there was no way he could have gotten in contact with Night-Raid and set his kidnapping up. Not to mention, Wave had told her that Tatsumi fought Bulat with all of his might, which reinforced her thoughts on how foolish the idea of this being all set up.

As she reached the end of the hallway, the guards who were stationed outside of the room opened both doors for her.

Upon passing through the doorway, Esdeath saw the Prime Minister, and a few of his colleagues.

"General Esdeath, I'm so glad you could join us in today's meeting, we have so many things to discuss." The Prime Minister declared with a smile as the double doors were closed behind Esdeath.

"Do we now?" Esdeath questioned, traces of skepticism was in her voice.

"Yes, we do." The Prime Minister affirmed.

The General simply let out a doubtful 'Hmph.' before taking her seat at the left end of the table away from everyone else.

She was confident that there was nothing for them to discuss, and that the Prime Minister just wanted her to be here to make sure his colleagues don't step out of line and remember their place in the food chain.

After watching Esdeath take her seat, the Prime Minister looked to his associates, and said to them. "Gentlemen, I know you all have been busy, and have plans of your own, so I will not take up much of your time."

At this, Gebaze spoke. He was a large man who appeared to be in his late thirties with dark hair and a small mustache, he wasn't quite as large as the Prime Minister, but he wasn't that far from him either. He wore a white shirt that had a black lining and covered his neck with a green coat on top of this. He also wore around his neck a golden necklace that had a green jewel.

"It's no big deal, Prime Minister. All I was doing when you called upon me was counting coins, so it's not like you were disrupting me or anything like that. Plus, you always bring out the best of wine when he have these small gatherings, so I enjoy coming to them."

"I will always have time for you, Prime Minister." Spoke Saikyuu with a grin as he looked at Honest. Saikyuu was a middle-aged man, and practically the Prime Minister's right-hand man. He had slick black hair and a mustache that went down to his chin. His attire consisted of the standard Imperial uniform. He also wore glasses. "After all, I've been allowed to do whatever I please because of you."

Esdeath rolled her eyes as she listened to the Prime Minister's closest cohorts suck up to him. They were all weaklings and wouldn't even last twenty seconds against one of her soldiers. However, she did have to give them some respect, for they wouldn't have gotten to where they are now if they didn't dirty their hands at all.

After all of his colleagues finished brown nosing him, the Prime Minister spoke again. "Night-Raid is back."

This immediately got Esdeath's attention, and she couldn't stop herself from saying aloud. "What?"

"It is as I said, General Esdeath." The Prime Minister stated as he looked at her, a ghost smile appearing on his face. "Night-Raid has returned to the capital, and how I know this is because of this."

As soon as he finished his sentence, the Prime Minister pulled out a leaflet from his pocket. It was slightly crumpled, but everyone in the room could see that it had Night-Raid's symbol on it.

"If Night-Raid has returned then we-" Gebaze started only to stop due to hearing a giggle escape from the only woman in the room. Looking to his left, he and the others watched as Esdeath giggle soon became full-blown laughter.

"And here I thought fate had forsaken me!" Esdeath declared with a smirk that was indeed wicked. "However, it seems I have been mistaken. The Gods appear to still be on my side."

No one at first said a word, for no one was sure what to say, but eventually, Saikyuu broke the silence. "If Night-Raid has truly returned, then do you think it's possible that they were in Kyoroch, Prime Minister? I mean, I can't believe that this, _Savior_ , was able to defeat the Four Rakasha Demons."

"Hmm, it is possible, but I highly doubt it." The Prime Minister stated in a serious tone. "If they were there, then we would have found out by now, there's no way they could have been there for a long time without getting spotted at all."

"Huh, you're probably right then." Saikyuu agreed with great reluctance. He highly doubted that Night-Raid went into hiding for this long, but he wasn't going to press this matter any farther, for he didn't see a point. Plus, what the Prime Minister was true. There was no way Night-Raid could have hidden in the city without getting spotted once by one of their many spies.

"Speaking of the _Savior_ , what are we going to do about him and the Path of Peace?" Koukei questioned in a stern voice. He was the youngest out of all of the Prime Minister's cohorts, and the Minister of Military Affairs. He had shoulder length blonde hair, and wore the standard Imperial uniform. "From what I've heard they have practically taken control of Kyoroch. Almost everyone in there is praising the _Lord_ , and the so-called _Savior_."

"For now, nothing." The Prime Minister declared in a firm manner. "The Path of Peace has yet to take up arms against the Empire, so until they do we will do nothing, but keep an eye on them. Once they do though, we will crush them."

"I will crush them." Esdeath stated causing the men in the room to shift their attention towards her. "After I, of course, deal with Night-Raid."

At this, the Prime Minister smiled. "I expect no less from you, General Esdeath."

* * *

 **Revan's AN: Oh my god, I just realized that the discord link I've been using is no good. That's a ripperoni without a doubt. Anyways, here's the new one, I would say that I'll put this in the you know the chapters before this, but I'm not because that's a lot of work, so um readers, if you get to this chapter, you can now join the discord. If not, well oh well, I didn't talk to you anyways. On a sidenote, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. I felt it was a little chaotic, but that might have just been- and I just realized a plot hole as I write this. Well, that's unfortunate, I'd have to rewrite like an entire scene to fix it, and that's like 2k words, so not happening. Some authors try to perfect their stories, but not this one. Nope, I notice them plot holes and don't bother fixing them because I'm lazy. Anyways, see yall later.**

 **Link to the discord server:** discord .gg/ VSfSVGT


	37. The Storm Part I

**(Revan's AN): I try to keep it realistic, and the first scene went for far too long, but it's whatever because it just means a big chapter, which means I expect some reviews, boys. Nah, not really, but I would like your thoughts on the chapter if it isn't too much to ask.**

 **Full Summary:** Tatsumi Seika, the second son of Kaito Seika, was a rebellious child. Unlike his siblings, he didn't care about the duties of a prince, and after being told that he was going to marry some noblewoman, he ran away from home. Now, after five years of being away, Tatsumi has finally returned.

 **Non-canon, single-pairing, OOC Characters.**

* * *

 _"Flashbacks" -_ **Thinking**

"Flashbacks" - _**Talking**_

 _[Flashbacks]_ **\- Letters or Reports.**

 **Theme Song: This Will Be The Day, by Jeff Williams and Casey Lee Williams.**

 **Main Writer:** Revan the Edgelord

 **Co-Writer:** None.

* * *

Tatsumi had a frown underneath his mask as he sat perched up on a rooftop. It had been about five days since the raid on Iokal's mansion, and right now he was currently doing his first solo mission.

His target was one of the many Captains in the Imperial Police, Captain Ogre. Night-Raid had planned on assassinating him for a long time now, but because his crimes were very small compared to other corrupt officials, they had never gotten around to it.

However, after hearing that he had stepped up on his criminal offenses, Night-Raid finally decided to take care of him once and for all, and what better way to do that, then to send their newest assassin after him?

As time flew by, Tatsumi released a sigh. He didn't know much about Captain Ogre before being briefed about him, and quite frankly didn't see the man worthy of his attention, but because Night-Raid was a group fighting for the people he decided to accept the mission.

He also accepted it because this had given him a chance to wander the city, and go to places he wanted to go, but couldn't because he was in the presence of Esdeath.

Not long after he had let loose this sigh, did Tatsumi see his target emerge from the building across from him. His objective wasn't alone and was accompanied by several men and women who were wearing the Imperial Police uniform. However, who Tatsumi didn't expect to see with these people was the young woman named Seryu and her Imperial Arm, Koro.

 _"Well, this is something I didn't expect to see."_ Tatsumi thought to himself as he stared at the group with a look of interest now in his eyes. _"From what I recall, you claim to be a servant of justice, so why are you with that piece of trash, hmm?"_

He didn't know a lot about her, but he had spent some time with her, so he did have an idea about her which made him wonder how she was able to converse with a man who takes bribes and kills the innocent. It was a strange sight to behold, and one he was for sure going to remember.

As they all laughed and joked with one another, Tatsumi noticed something. The Imperial Arm, Koro was looking directly up at him.

Seeing the small dog's attention was on him, the assassin stared back at it.

Not long after their eyes met did Koro started to growl and bark at him, which immediately gained Seryu's and everybody else's attention.

"Hey is he alright, Seryu?" One of the male officers with blonde hair asked after watching the dog bark furiously at the building across from them.

"I don't know, I've never seen him do this kind of thing before." Seryu answered with a look of concern as she crouched down beside the dog who had yet to stop barking. "What is it, Koro? Is an evildoer nearby?"

Koro's response to her question was a point of his paw. The direction Koro pointed it at was towards Tatsumi.

Directing her attention upwards, Seryu saw a figure on top of the rooftop in a crouching position. At first, she had mistaken it to be just a statue, but after a second or two of her staring at it, did the figure stand up.

She wasn't the only one who had followed Koro's paw; in fact, practically everyone else had followed his hand, and witnessed the person stand up.

"Captain..." One of the female officers with black hair started as they gazed up at Tatsumi, who in return stared down at them.

"I know, I see him." Captain Ogre declared as he glared at the unknown man.

"Should we do something about him?" A male officer with brown hair questioned as he looked to his Captain. "He's not committing any crimes or anything like that, but him being up there is creeping me out."

As Captain Ogre opened his mouth to respond, Seryu shouted at the top of her lungs. "I am a part of the Jaegers under the command of General Esdeath, and I order you to get down from there, right now!"

Tatsumi was taken back by the sudden yelling from her, and instead of saying something back to her he did what she commanded him to do. He jumped off of the building.

This was something no one expected, and a few of the policemen let out gasps of shock and horror, but to all of their surprises, Tatsumi landed perfectly without any problems whatsoever.

However, because he was able to jump off of the rooftop of a three-story building both Seryu and Ogre knew that the man before them was someone dangerous. Ordinary people wouldn't be able to do that kind of feat, but if they had an Imperial Arm, or modifications to their body, then it would be possible.

"Thank you for listening, now mind telling me what you were doing up there?" Seryu ordered in a firm tone. While she may have labeled the person dangerous, he had so far done nothing wrong, so until he does do something, she wasn't going to act violently.

"Just admiring the view." Tatsumi answered, his voice sounded familiar to Seryu, and his attire looked familiar as well, but she couldn't remember who it belonged to.

"Is that so?" Captain Ogre questioned in an unconvinced tone. He was positive the masked man before them was a member of Night-Raid, for no _normal_ citizen would act so calm and relaxed in this situation.

"Yes, that is so." Tatsumi affirmed as he turned his head just a little bit to where he was looking straight at Captain Ogre.

"Excuse me, but do you mind taking off your mask?" Seryu requested not very long after this affirmation from Tatsumi. "Your voice kind of sounds familiar so I'd like to see your face."

Tatsumi said nothing upon hearing this and had a displeased expression form underneath his mask. _"We didn't even talk much in the past, but she was still able to remember my voice. I'm impressed, but now I know I shouldn't talk at all when around the Jaegers. At least she doesn't know who I am yet."_

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I can't do that." Tatsumi declared after a few seconds of silence as he began to release a killing intent, which made Seryu's brows furrow and Koro to release a small growl.

"And why's that?" Seryu questioned as Captain Ogre slowly reached for his sword. He had also sensed the killing intent radiating off of the masked man and was now one hundred percent sure that the man was an assassin of Night-Raid.

"Because it would just cause me problems, and I don't need any more problems." Tatsumi said in response as he placed both of his hands on the hilts of the two swords strapped to his waist, which had caused the officers to go for their swords and unsheathe them.

"As I suspected, that man is a member of Night-Raid!" Captain Ogre declared as he unsheathed his own weapon. "I knew there was something suspicious about him."

Despite all of the officers having their swords out, Tatsumi kept his blades in their sheaths. The reason why he had yet unsheathed them was because he was waiting for Seryu to make a move. He could sense a large amount of killing intent from her, but because she hadn't moved from her position yet, he wouldn't act.

Seryu and Koro were the ones he had to look out for, and that was because they're the wildcards in this situation. He had never seen the two of them fight before, so he had no plans of underestimating them.

"... Are you a member of Night-Raid?" Seryu asked after a few seconds, her face was darkened, which had made it practically unreadable for Tatsumi.

"Maybe, maybe not." Tatsumi stated as he flexed his fingers on the two hilts he had in his hands.

At this, Seryu released a huff of air. "Well then, under the suspicions of you being a Night-Raid operative I'm taking you in, Koro number 3!"

As soon as she finished shouting this, Koro grew in size and turned to the wielder of him, and bit down on Seryu's left arm, which was something Tatsumi didn't see coming at all, nor anyone else. Two seconds later, Koro pulled away from her and a large blade that was about three meters long had taken the place of where her metal arm once was.

Tatsumi in response to this unsheathed the dual swords and said with a small smirk. "This is going to be very interesting."

With that said, Tatsumi darted towards Seryu who was darting towards him in response. The only difference between the two of them was that she wasn't alone and was being followed by Koro.

As she moved towards him, she yelled to the Imperial Police force. "Stay back, I'll handle this!"

Upon him getting in range of her blade, Seryu swung it in an attempt to cut him in half from the waist down. However, Tatsumi had expected this type of attack due to the blade's size, and he was able to leap over it as if it was nothing, but child's play.

Koro, who was not that far behind Seryu had seen this as the perfect opportunity to capture their target, he stopped moving and increased his size. His goal was to catch and hold Tatsumi in his large mouth.

Unfortunately, Tatsumi figured the size changing dog would try something, and had brought the darker of the two blades back before swinging it at the dog.

As he swung it, he yelled in a powerful voice. " _Fluctus Tenebris_!"

No one could see it due to it being night time, but a shadowy wave was released from the darker blade of his and cut the top of Koro's head from the mouth up clean off.

After quickly spinning around, Seryu was able to see Tatsumi land behind the large dog, who had begun to wander around aimlessly due to him not being able to see anymore.

"What!?" Seryu yelled in shock as Tatsumi dashed towards the officers and Koro's regenerating ability kicked in.

Captain Ogre was also taken back by what he saw, but due to him being old and seeing many things, he was able to quickly recover from his shock. He had figured that Seryu had got this and felt like if he and his subordinates did take part in the charge, then they would get in Seryu's way, so he had planned on them sitting this one out.

"All units, attack!" Captain Ogre shouted causing the officers to snap out of their taken back states and see that the Night-Raid operative was only a few yards away from them.

" _Arma Lucis_!" Tatsumi said to himself in a low tone, which caused his body to have a white glow, and his movement to increase by just a little bit. His speed didn't increase by much, but it was noticeable to those that are experienced in combat.

As he moved towards the closest officer, Tatsumi thought. _"First priority is to eliminate the target, and all possible threats. After I do that, I can focus on Seryu and her Imperial Arm."_

The black haired male officer was ready for Tatsumi, and was able to deflect the first strike, and the second, but what he didn't expect was the lightning fast third stick.

Because _Arma Lucis_ increased the wielder's agility, Tatsumi purposely swung his first two attacks in a slow manner to goad his enemy into thinking this was his attack speed. After he had done that, he followed them up with an insanely fast uppercut that no one saw coming.

As the officer fell to the ground, another one was already on him. The officer was a female, and she attempted to launch a barrage of attacks.

Unfortunately for her, she was only able to swing her sword three times at him before being impaled by one of the blades.

Seryu, who was charging at Tatsumi from behind couldn't hold back her anger, and shouted at the top of her lungs with all of her heart as Koro finished regenerating his head. "You scum! I'm going to kill you!"

Tatsumi had sensed her coming up behind him due to the murderous intent she was releasing, but her yelling at him made it very easy to tell how far she was from him. She wasn't the only one who was rushing towards him, two officers were coming at him from his left and right, and weren't exactly far from him.

Yanking his blade out of the woman's torso, Tatsumi stood still and focused on his incoming enemies footsteps. They were shouting more things at him, but he didn't care about that, for he had an idea.

As the three of them converged on him at the same time, Tatsumi leapt into the air and avoided Seryu's blade. Unfortunately, she didn't do a sideways slash like he predicted, and instead, did a downwards slash, so neither officers were killed by the long blade.

"That's too bad, I was hoping she could kill a few of them for me." Tatsumi said to himself as he landed on the ground not that far away from them, but out of everyone's reach.

"Filth, how dare you evade justice!" Seryu yelled as she faced Tatsumi who frowned at this declaration.

"Seryu, you need to calm down." One of the officers next to her stated with a look of concern.

"No, what's he done is unforgivable!" Seryu shouted as she looked at the brown haired man with rage in her eyes. "He's killed two of my friends, two servants of justice, and he needs to be dealt with appropriately. Koro, number 1!"

Koro had approached his wielder as she told her comrade this, and saw Seryu lift up her right arm for him.

As the faint white glow disappeared from Tatsumi, he watched as Koro did the same thing he had done before on her right arm, but this time she was equipped with a massive flail.

"I guess she no longer wants to take me alive." Tatsumi thought to himself as he waited for Seryu to make the first move. _"It's also sad that she thinks these large weapons will kill me, they're very predictable. They might be great for large groups, but in one on one fight it would be better if she used a sword or something."_

Captain Ogre, who had yet to take part in the fight, knew that they couldn't come at the assassin like this. Seryu's weapons were big and powerful, but the person they were fighting were too fast for them, which made them useless. Unfortunately, he couldn't think of a way for them to combat him either. The man was very agile, and he had the ability to cut through Koro as if he was butter, so he wasn't sure what to do. All he knew was that they couldn't go at him like this.

"Koro, this time we'll attack him simultaneously." Seryu stated in a low tone that only reached the people around her. "Everyone else, follow us and when you see an opportunity, take it. The man is too dangerous to be taken alive."

Knowing that he couldn't leave this to his subordinates, Captain Ogre approached the officers that were around Seryu and said aloud. "Never thought I'd be taking orders from one of my students, but there's a first time for everything."

At this, a wicked smirk appeared on Seryu's face. "Don't worry, it won't last long. This time, we'll get him."

As Captain Ogre told Seryu that he's ready whenever she is, Tatsumi finished making up a plan of his own. He knew the words that he needed to say, and now all he had to do was wait for them to come at him.

After glancing at everybody and seeing that they were ready, Seryu looked to Tatsumi, and yelled in a loud and clear voice. "Sick him, Koro!"

Koro didn't need to be told twice and charged at Tatsumi with Seryu by his side. Because the flail was very large she dragged it, but she didn't have any problems dragging it.

Seeing the two of them come at him at the same time, Tatsumi pointed the darker sword at Seryu, and yelled with his alters joining in like they usually do when he activates one of his Imperial Arm's abilities. " _Tenebris Trabem_!"

None of the officers could see this due to it being dark, but Koro saw the beam of blackness leave shoot forth from the blade's tip. He saw the trajectory it was going, and without any warnings at all leaped in front of Seryu, who had seen the dark beam coming at her at the last second.

 _Tenebris Trabem_ wasn't as powerful as Fluctus Tenebris, and required the wielder to be feeling a lot of negative emotions to have the ability to kill, but Tatsumi wasn't aiming to kill Seryu, his goal was to just push her back.

The beam shot at Koro for four seconds, and would have for sure knocked him down had he been in his smaller state, but because he was large and purposely took the attack, it only burned away his stomach's hair.

Seryu had came to a stop upon Koro getting in her way, but after realizing what he was doing, she used this to her advantage.

"Justice will prevail!" She cried out as she swung the flail with an overhand causing her to go over Koro, and towards Tatsumi, who didn't expect her to do this. Knowing that the flail was going to slow her down, Seryu had it released after being lifted up into the air, and was able to cover the five meters between her the two of them.

Even though Tatsumi didn't predict this type of action from her, he was able to avoid the large blade by jumping back.

As she landed with her right knee on the ground, Koro moved past her with his hands clasped above his head.

He had brought them down on Tatsumi, but Tatsumi was faster than him, and able to dodge the attack, while launching his own.

Unfortunately, his blades didn't leave any desirable effects, for this didn't stop Koro at all, who had spun around and attempted to grab Tatsumi.

After quickly getting out of Koro's reach, Tatsumi was attacked by both Seryu and Captain Ogre, which forced him to keep on moving and evading attacks.

While Seryu, Koro, and Captain Ogre were fast, Tatsumi was faster and able to keep dodge and deflect all of their attacks. The officers, on the other hand, weren't nearly as fast as them, which gave him the chance to take them down slowly over time.

Originally, it was eleven vs one, but as time passed, the numbers dwindled and it soon became a five versus one. Seryu had also switched out her weapons throughout the fight, but because they were in the city, and the chances of killing an innocent person due to misfire were high, her arsenal was limited tremendously.

After doing a combat roll, and evading Koro's hand, Tatsumi plunged the sword in his right hand in the officer's left leg before planting his other sword in their chest. He wasted no time with them, and quickly pulled his blades out of their body.

He was starting to feel a little exhausted, but that was mentally, for he was getting tired of planning five steps ahead of his enemies.

Seeing another one of her friends die before her very eyes enraged Seryu, and made her think of one thing.

Koro's trump card.

She didn't want to use it, and believed that she could deal with the assassin with her own abilities, but if things keep going the way they are, then it would only be a matter of time before she'd die or worse, Captain Ogre.

However, after witnessing the last officer besides Captain Ogre be killed, Seryu reached a conclusion, and shouted as loud as she possibly could. "Koro trump card! Kill him! Smash him! Devour him! I don't care just end his life!"

Upon hearing the two words _trump card_ , Tatsumi moved as far as he possibly could away from Koro, who had begun to turn a dark red and increase in size, his eyes also became red. His frame had also changed from a round one to a more muscular one.

Once Koro had finished transforming, he slammed his hands onto the ground causing both dirt and stone tiles to go flying into the air, and released a powerful roar.

Tatsumi was caught off guard by this, and because it was so loud, he covered his ears with his hands to prevent himself from going deaf. He was not the only one to do this, Captain Ogre had also covered his ears as well.

With Tatsumi stunned, Koro covered the distance between the two of them, and before Tatsumi had a chance to act, he swung his left fist at him.

The force behind the punch had caused Tatsumi to go flying into a building's window.

"Good job, Koro." Seryu said in a proud tone as she approached the large dog who was now staring at the building that Tatsumi had been launched into.

"Why didn't you do that sooner, Seryu?" Captain Ogre questioned with a frown as he approached the two of them. "You could have saved our comrades lives if you had done it earlier."

"Sorry, Captain Ogre." Seryu apologized with a small bow. "I had assumed he was going to fight us honorably, but instead he just fought like a coward and wouldn't stand his ground."

Captain Ogre said nothing in response, and simply averted his attention to the broken window. While he was saddened about his subordinates being killed, he was also happy that they managed to kill the Night-Raid operative.

"... Well, let's go collect the body." Captain Ogre declared after several seconds of gazing into the building. He was positive that the assassin was dead, and had a good feeling that he was going to be getting a promotion in the nearby future.

Unfortunately, he was wrong, and the assassin had fled amidst the time the two of them exchanged words with one another.

...

...

...

Tatsumi let loose a groan of pain as he crashed into the stone wall.

He had managed to elude Seryu and the Imperial Police that had finally arrived at the scene of where he battled Seryu and Captain Ogre, but the injuries he had sustained were making it very difficult for him to move.

"Graaaah!" Tatsumi growled as he took off his mask so he could have an easier time breathing, and because he felt like it was getting in his way. "I should have killed Captain Ogre when I had the chance!"

Throughout the entire fight, Tatsumi only had one opportunity to kill Captain Ogre, but in the heat of the moment, Tatsumi did a jump kick and knocked him away. He could have caught the Captain's blade with one of his own, and delivered a possible killing blow with the other, but because he was focusing on keeping himself alive at the time, he saw it better to knock the man away.

After taking a few deep breaths, Tatsumi attached the mask to his waist before pressing his hand against the left side of his abdomen and causing himself to wince.

Pretty much all of his injuries were internal, but he had acquired a few cuts that had made him bleed, and he had also earned himself a ton of bruises as well.

Removing his hand from his abdomen, Tatsumi whispered to himself. "I need to get out of here before a patrol or something worse than that finds me."

He was one percent sure he could take on a patrol if they found him, but because of his injuries, he would prefer if he didn't fight anybody else tonight, for his objective now was to get out of the city.

After deciding his priority, Tatsumi pushed himself off of the wall, and resumed limping down the dark alleyway. As he did this, a thunderous noise came from the heavens, and not that long after the booming sound was heard did small raindrops fall from the sky.

It was merely the beginning of a sudden and long storm.

* * *

Akame had a small look of concern written on her face as she stared outside through the wide open front door.

Tatsumi had been given his first solo mission a few days ago, and after a couple of days of following the man around, he claimed that today would be the day he would take Captain Ogre's live.

He had left around late midday to begin his assassination, and had told everybody that he wouldn't do anything stupid, and that it shouldn't take him long. However, it had been almost twelve hours since he had left, and there haven't been any signs of him returning.

Because of the abrupt storm, Najenda believed that Tatsumi is most likely spending a night in an inn, she had declared that if he doesn't return by midday, then they would head into the city, and try to find out what happened last night, but until then everyone was to wait for his return.

As a few raindrops managed to get into the hideout and fall onto the wooden flooring, Akame thought about going out and trying to find the new assassin. She wasn't very close to Tatsumi, but she was close enough to consider him a friend, and she felt like sitting here and doing nothing was a terrible thing to do.

Believing that she couldn't sit here and do nothing, Akame went to grab Murasame, and a cloak for the rain.

However, before she could make it to her room, she ran into Bulat, who had stopped her by putting a hand on her shoulder and saying, "Please don't tell me you're going to do what I think you're going to do."

"I won't be gone for long." Akame answered as she shrugged the hand off of her. "I'm just going to check the area, and make sure there's no Danger Beasts around."

"Oh, if that's the case, then I'll go with you." Bulat declared which made Akame's lips curve a little downwards. "I didn't really sweat much during training today, so I still have some energy in me, and I feel what better way to use it, then on a couple of Danger Beasts, you know?"

Akame was silent at first, and had tried to form a quick response that would prevent him from coming, but before she could utter any words, Bulat spoke again. "I'm not an idiot Akame. I know you're going out because you're concerned about Tatsumi."

Seeing that he knew her plan, she replied with. "He's been gone for too long. Something must have happened."

"Even if something did happen, which is a possibility, what are you going to do about it?" Bulat asked with a stern look. "The Capital City is massive, and will take you _hours_ just for you to search a small part of a district."

At this, Akame was speechless. She realized what he was saying was true, and the odds of finding Tatsumi would be practically impossible, but she couldn't just sit here when one of her teammate's life could be in jeopardy.

"Not to mention, you'd get a cold." Bulat pointed out to reinforce his statement. "It's pouring heavily out there, so if you went out there for a long time, then you'd for sure catch a cold."

Akame began to pout after hearing this from him. She knew he was also right about this, and knew it was better to wait until tomorrow, but the idea of something going wrong kept popping in her mind.

Releasing a sigh, Bulat said to Akame. "Look, I want to go out there and look for him too, but we can't. Right now all we can do is wait and assume that he's safe and sound, okay?"

"Okay..." Akame begrudgingly complied. She didn't like the idea, but a small part of her felt like she should have some faith in Tatsumi.

Happy that he was able to stop Akame from doing anything reckless, Bulat said, "Atta girl."

* * *

Jaecar let a sigh escape his lips as he finished writing the things they need from the market tomorrow.

He was a man in his late twenties, and had a black loose-sleeved shirt on, which was a little too big for him. On top of his shoulders and around his neck was a gray fur collar. He had brown hair, a small mustache, and had a patch of facial hair underneath his lip that matched his mustache. He also wore a black skullcap, and gray cargo pants. His eyes were brown.

Sitting in a rocking chair not far from, rocking back and forth, in a simple white and pink dress was his childhood friend and eight-month pregnant wife, Sara. She had long brown braided hair that was slightly darker than his, and dark purple eyes.

"Is there anything else you can think of, Sara?" Jaecar requested as he looked up at his wife, he had a somewhat concerned expression written on his face.

"No, at least not at the moment, dear." She answered with a content look as she continued rocking back and forth while gently rubbing her swollen belly.

"Hmph, alright." Was his response before getting up and out of his chair and placing the notepad on the kitchen table. He couldn't think of anything else they needed either, but the list was a little _too small_ in his opinion, which made him wonder if they were forgetting something.

Not too long after he had set the notepad down did he and his wife hear a massive booming noise come from the heavens. It came swiftly and suddenly without any warning whatsoever. In fact, because it was so sudden and loud, Sara had jumped a little.

"Damn, that was something, am I right?" Jaecar declared with a bit of laughter. He was also startled by the sudden thunder and had tensed up, but his reaction wasn't as big as Sara's reaction.

"It sure was." Sara said with a tiny trace of amusement as she relaxed her muscles and allowed her body to sink back into the rocking chair.

Deciding to see how bad it was, Jaecar approached one of the windows by the front door. He wasn't a huge fan of thunderstorms, but sometimes he couldn't stop himself from admiring them.

Moving the curtains aside so he could see what's going on, Jaecar stared out into the night. He couldn't exactly see anything due to it being pitched black, but after a little while, thunder came again, which was followed by a flash of lightning.

Upon the flash coming and going, Jaecar took a step back and said aloud. "Something's coming."

His wife didn't exactly hear him well due to her being lost in thought, so her response to this information was. "What?"

Not bothering to repeat himself, Jaecar moved away from the window and grabbed his rifle that he had left earlier on the kitchen counter.

"Stay here, I'll be right back." He ordered as he glanced at his wife who was looking at him with a worried expression.

"Okay, be careful, dear." She said with concern in her voice that made him smile a bit.

"I will be." He affirmed before averting his attention to the door, and flipping the switch that turned on the outdoor lights.

Once he had done this, he opened the door with his rifle ready to fire at whatever he had seen approaching their house. He wasn't sure what he had seen, but it looked humanoid, so it could be one of his neighbors.

However, that wasn't going to stop him from bringing his gun with him. His wife was pregnant with his child, and his priorities were to keep them safe, and until he knew what was approaching his house, he was going to err on the side of caution as if his life depended on it.

As the rain continued to pour down on the roof above him, and his front yard, Jaecar shouted out into the night. "Who's out there?"

A few seconds later, a lightning flash appeared and disappeared, which was followed by some thunder. He had tensed up a bit upon this happening, but he had seen the thing that was approaching his home, and had sawed that it wasn't that far from entering the range of the outdoor lights.

After quickly checking his rifle to make sure it was still loaded, Jaecar raised it slightly, and waited for what he had believed to be a person enter his visible range. Not long after he did this, did the person enter the light.

He didn't know the man, so Jaecar aimed his gun at him and said in a serious tone. "I think that's far-"

"Please help me." The man pleaded before collapsing and falling into the mud. This was something Jaecar didn't see coming at all, so he had been completely taken back by what he had just witnessed.

It didn't take him long to snap out of his stunned state of mind, and for him to rush off of the porch to help the man.

"You know you almost got yourself shot, right?" Jaecar barked as he lifted the man's right arm and put it over his shoulders.

"... I'm sorry." The black haired male apologized in a tired voice as he was helped up.

Jaecar didn't say anything. He would have asked the man what was he doing out there in the storm, but after seeing the man's face, he could tell that he was barely keeping himself conscious.

"My wife is going to freak out about this." Jaecar said to himself in a not so quiet voice as the two began to approach the house.

"... I'm sorry." The man apologized before falling to the ground again, which had brought Jaecar down with him.

"Ah, it's whatever, but you're definitely not making this easy for me." Jaecar replied as he helped him up for a second time. "I'm going to need you to get up, and I'm going to need you to lend me your strength if we're going to make it to the house, can you do that for me?"

"... I'll try..." The man said in between gasps for breath. "But I don't think... I... Can do that..."

"You can." Jaecar affirmed after a second or two. "You just gotta believe in yourself."

The man didn't bother replying, and instead gave his strength to Jaecar. They had stumbled at the porch, but eventually, they were able to enter Jaecar and his wife's home.

Upon entering the home, Jaecar's wife said aloud in shock. "Oh my God! What happened?"

"I don't know, he collapsed on me before I could ask him anything." Jaecar answered as he practically dragged the man to the kitchen table. He didn't plan on taking him to one of the bedrooms, at least not yet, but that was because the bedrooms were on the second floor, and that was twelve stairs he would have to climb with a barely awake man, so for now, he was going to be put on the table.

As Sara got out of her chair, Jaecar set his gun on one of the kitchen chairs, so that he would have an easier time putting the man on the table.

Once the man had been put on the table, Jaecar took a step back and began to actually examine who he had just brought into his home.

The man's eyes were closed, but his chest was still slowly rising up and then going down, so he was still breathing, which was good. The majority of his bottom clothes were covered in dirt, but what had caught his eye was the black and gold mask attached to his waist that had some mud on it.

"Do you know who he is?" Sara questioned after moving to her husband's side with a concerned look written all over her face.

"No, I've never seen him in the village before." Jaecar answered as he quickly glanced at her before averting his attention back to the muddy and drenched male on top of the table they eat on.

"Should we go get the village chief?" Sara asked as she stared at the stranger for a while before looking at her husband, her expression she had on her face when she looked at him was a troubled one.

"I'll get him tomorrow, for now, I think we should get this man a pair of warm clothes." He assured as he flashed her a smile. "God knows how cold he is right now."

With that said, Jaecar headed upstairs to go get the man a pair of clothes, and left his wife alone with the unknown man.

"Don't worry. You're going to be alright, sir." Sara declared after moving closer to the table and gently grabbing ahold of the man's muddy right glove.

The man said nothing for a while, but feeling someone hold his pinky and ring finger made him say in a voice that was barely above a whisper in a delirious tone. "Farah..."

* * *

Esdeath had a smile written on her face as she took the final sip of her wine. It was still raining badly, but she didn't care about that. In fact, she had found it to be beautiful in a way, for the rain represented her and what was to come to the Night-Raid and all those who support them.

Nonstop hell.

"I hope you are ready Night-Raid because the calming before the storm has officially ended." Esdeath declared as she set the empty glass down and walked off.

* * *

 **(Revan's AN): So first scene was a little difficult. By that I mean it was hard, specifically Seryu. I mean, I had thought about killing her off, but I didn't because I feel she would have activated her trump card the moment her friends were getting killed. And if I had Tatsumi come out on top even though she activated her trump card, I feel you all would have gone on about how Tatsumi was insanely OP, or something like that, so I tried to find a middle ground, and this is what we got. Anyways, this is going to be a possible three-part you know chapter. Idk, it depends on how much more I write, but I'd say it was a good one. Anyways, I'm going to go now, see ya.**

 **Link to the discord server:** discord .gg/ VSfSVGT


	38. The Storm Part II

**(Revan's AN): Man, I wrote this chapter quickly, and I'm going to be honest, I had some thoughts that could have altered the story tremendously, but luckily, I stuck to the book** **s, and didn't let the devil charm me. Although, if it was Akeno Himejima, I would have been charmed immediately, however unfortunately, it wasn't her trying to tempt me. It was just my thoughts.**

 **Full Summary:** Tatsumi Seika, the second son of Kaito Seika, was a rebellious child. Unlike his siblings, he didn't care about the duties of a prince, and after being told that he was going to marry some noblewoman, he ran away from home. Now, after five years of being away, Tatsumi has finally returned.

 **Non-canon, single-pairing, OOC Characters.**

* * *

 _"Flashbacks" -_ **Thinking**

"Flashbacks" - _**Talking**_

 _[Flashbacks]_ **\- Letters or Reports.**

 **Theme Song: This Will Be The Day, by Jeff Williams and Casey Lee Williams.**

 **Main Writer:** Revan the Edgelord

 **Co-Writer:** None.

* * *

Farah had a distant look as she gazed off into the distance.

It had been two days since, His Majesty Numa, and the majority of the Royal Guard had left Haven, and since then, things have been quiet and dull.

 _"I wonder if this is something you'd do when you'd have nothing else to do, Tatsumi?"_ Farah asked herself with a bit tiny trace of sadness. _"Just sit up on a balcony and stare off into the distance, waiting for something to happen."_

She knew that she shouldn't be thinking about Tatsumi, and should be focusing on herself, but it was kind of hard for her to fall out of love, when Tatsumi's name was _literally_ being brought up almost everywhere she went.

There was a time where Farah wondered if it would be best for her to leave Haven just to avoid problems, and to look for her family, since the last time she had seen them was before the Fall of Yllona, but after a few days of thinking about it a letter had arrived specifically for her from the fort that was taking in the survivors of the war.

She didn't know how they were able to get a letter to her, but apparently, Tatsumi's sister had decided to try finding her family with her resources as a small repayment for taking care of her brother. At least, that's what she had heard from the servants and guards.

After a while of gazing off into the horizon, Farah heard the sound of her bedroom door opening followed by the sound of it being closed. Deciding to see who had entered her room, Farah left the balcony.

Upon reentering her room, the young sun-kissed woman was welcomed to the sight of Lady Alreid, Tatsumi's soon to be wife. The two of them had ran into each other multiple times, but not once did the two of them exchanged words with one another. The only thing they had traded with one another were glances.

So seeing her here was a little surprising.

"Lady Alreid." Farah quickly greeted with a polite and formal bow.

"Farah Hassan." Came Lady Alreid's response with a simple tilt of her head. Farah wasn't a lady of the court like herself, so she wasn't required to do any bowing or anything like that. However, because she had entered her room, she would at least greet Farah with a nod of acknowledgment.

After the two had exchanged greetings, a silence filled the room. Neither of them had attempted to say anything else to the other, for they were expecting the other to say something due to the positions they were in.

Farah had expected Lady Alreid to begin speaking since she had entered _her bedroom_ , while Lady Alreid expected her to ask if she would like to sit down and have some refreshments since she was technically _the host_. The two were from two different worlds.

Eventually, Farah broke the silence by saying, "Would you like to sit down, my lady? I would offer a drink as well, but I don't have anything to drink in here."

There was a bit of uncertainty in Farah's voice, but in her defense, this was the first time a noble that wasn't apart of the royal family had entered her room. When Yuki or her mother would come to see her, she would greet them casually as if they were an old friend because their relationship was a close one. Not to mention, it would usually be them that would bring drinks or food, or to be specific the servants that accompanied the two of them.

"Yes, thank you, and it's fine. I'm not thirsty." Lady Alreid answered with a tiny trace of amusement. How this woman managed to gain the Queen Dowager's approval was something she'd never understand. The woman lacked etiquette, and had no idea how a lady was supposed to act.

Leading her to the small round table she had in her room, Farah and Lady Alreid sat down. Of course, Lady Alreid had to pull out her own chair, but again when the royal family would come to see her without warning, the servants that would come with them would pull out their chairs for them while they exchanged words with one another at the door.

Once the two had taken their seats, Farah tried to start a conversation by saying, "Congratulations on your engagement with Prince Tatsumi. He's a great man, and I'm sure he'll make you very happy."

"Thank you, but I don't know about that last part." Came Lady Alreid's response with a _troubled_ expression written on her face. "I am older than him, and have been holding back my _womanly needs_ for a long time, so I'm not sure he'll be able to _keep up_ with me."

At this, Farah let loose a bit of laughter. She had tried her best not to laugh, but she had found what Lady Alreid said to be very funny.

"I'm sure he'll be able to keep up with your needs, Lady Alreid." Farah assured after quickly regaining her composure. "After all, he's managed to survive against the Empire's Strongest, so surely his stamina is tremendous."

Lady Alreid said nothing in response at first, for she, in all honesty, didn't expect Farah to say these things. She had purposely brought this subject up to upset Farah, but instead of taking the bait, and saying something negative, she was positive.

Eventually, she broke her silence, and said to Farah. "Well, that's good to hear. I am glad that he has a strong endurance, but what is he like? I haven't seen him in a long time, and all I've heard from other nobles is that he is a vile and cruel man. I've also heard that he has pale skin, and that his eyes have become red now."

"Tatsumi is none of those things." Farah said with a fond smile as she recalled the fun times she had with the prince. "He can be a little stubborn sometimes, and uncooperative, but he is a kind and just man. He does what he thinks is right no matter what others say, and will always follow his heart. He may have his flaws, but in the end, he still is a great man."

"... Is that so?" Lady Alreid asked after a while. She realized that what she was seeing here was more than admiration, Farah was actually in love with Prince Tatsumi. She wasn't like some people who would pretend to love their partner, but would actually feel nothing for them. No, Farah was deeply in love with him.

A tiny piece of her heart started to feel sorry for getting in the way of this love, but that was it. Lady Alreid wasn't going to cancel her engagement with him just because she loved him. Tatsumi was a prince, and Farah was a commoner, and he deserved someone fitting to his status. He may not like it, nor agree with it, but he has his duties to uphold.

"Yes, that is so." Farah affirmed as she looked at Lady Alreid with a smile. She held no ill will to Lady Alreid, and although she hated the idea of seeing Tatsumi get married to someone else, she had realized that she was a commoner at the end of the day, and that Tatsumi had to do his duty as a Prince of Espera. She may not like it, and agree with it at all, but she understood that he has a responsibility.

"Well, I hope I can be someone worthy of him." Lady Alreid said after a few seconds of pondering. She had sealed off her heart a long time ago to prevent herself from getting harmed, and had no intentions of opening it for Tatsumi due to her doubting that he was this great man, but she had no problem with giving him a chance at it. After all, this is the least she could do since she's forcing him to marry her.

* * *

Upon awaking from his slumber, Tatsumi could hear what sounded like a woman singing in a soft tune.

He couldn't make out the words, but the voice was practically angelic, and made one person come to his mind.

"Farah..." He muttered under his breath as he sat up a little and looked to his left for the source of where this soft melody was coming.

Tatsumi had spotted a figure sitting in a chair that was not far from the bed swaying back and forth. He couldn't make out their facial features even though the sun was shining on their face, but from his perspective, the woman looked like Farah.

"Farah." He said in a slightly more louder tone as he lifted the bed covers up off of him, and began to crawl out of bed towards the woman.

The woman that Tatsumi was trying to reach was actually Sara who was lost in song, but all Tatsumi could see was Farah. Even though she had a swollen belly, Tatsumi was seeing Farah.

Not paying attention to where he was going, Tatsumi crawled straight off of the bed causing Sara to jolt due to the sudden crashing noise and look at the bed and see Tatsumi halfway off of the bed.

"Oh my God!" Were the words that left her mouth as she quickly, but carefully got up out of the chair and approached Tatsumi who tried to push himself up off of the ground, but had a difficult time succeeding.

"What were you thinking, mister?" She questioned as she helped him up, although it had taken her some time and effort, Sara was able to get his upper body off of the ground and back onto the bed.

Unfortunately, he didn't exactly answer her question; in fact, he didn't answer it at all. Instead, he had said to her "Farah... I missed you..."

At this, Sara's expression became one of trouble. Throughout the night of watching over him, he had muttered words about this woman named Farah, and about how he loves her. She had checked his temperature multiple times, and assumed that this was the fever causing him to say these things and that he was hallucinating, but she had thought that once he wakes up, he'd realize that she isn't this Farah person.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not Farah." She apologized after deciding to tuck him back into the bed. "My name is Sara."

Her words had unfortunately fallen on deaf ears, for all he said in response while trying to place his hand on her cheek was. "Farah."

He was unsuccessful in placing his hand on her cheek, but that was because Sara had grabbed ahold of it, and prevented him from doing that. She had a look of pity on her face.

"You must really love Farah, huh?" She said with the tiniest bit of amusement in her voice. While she did find the love he has for this woman to be beautiful, she couldn't help from feeling sorry for the delirious man, and that was because the way he talked had made it sound like he hadn't seen her for an eternity.

Seeing that this was the first time he had attempted to get out of bed, Sara wondered if now was the best time to feed him. He hadn't had anything to eat yet, and she believed that some soup would help him.

Deciding that this was best course of action, Sara got up off of the side of the bed, and said in a soft tone. "I'll be right back, I"m just going to make you something to eat, so don't do anything reckless."

With that said, Sara turned around, and took one step away from the bed before being stopped by someone grabbing ahold of her wrist.

She was taken back by this, and diverted her attention to the hand that had grabbed ahold of her wrist only to see that it was the black haired male they were taking care of.

"Farah... Don't leave me, please..." He begged with barely opened eyes. His tone was heartfelt and full of sincerity, which tore at her heart, and his eyes had a needing look in them, but that wasn't enough to stop her.

"I'm sorry, but you need to eat. I promise I won't be gone long." She apologized before breaking free of her grasp and walking away from him.

As she moved away, Tatsumi continued to beg and ask for her not to leave him, and the further she got from him caused him to say the words louder. Eventually, it had got to the point to where he had weakly cried out her name.

Sara did feel sorry for him, and wanted to stay to comfort him, but she wasn't this Farah girl he spoke of. She was Sara, and pretending to be someone she was not wouldn't help him. What could help him though was some soup. Not to mention, she was already married, and doing something like that felt wrong in her mind.

...

...

...

After finishing making Tatsumi's soup, Sara's husband Jaecar returned with the village chief. The man was in his early sixties, and had tinges of grayness in his black hair and beard, which signified he was getting old. However, despite this, the man had a robust figure for his age. His eyes were hazel colored, and he wore simple clothing.

Upon the village chief seeing Sara, he greeted her with a friendly smile. "Sara, you look wonderful. I hope you have been taking care of yourself?"

"Of course, Jaecar here has been making sure I don't do anything foolish, and has basically been attending to all of my wants and needs." Sara stated with her own smile before pouring the soup into a somewhat large bowl.

"That's good to hear, if he wasn't, then I would've smacked him upside the head." The old man declared with a tinge of pride in his voice.

Not bothering to comment on the village chief's declaration, Jaecar said to his wife while gazing at the bowl that was now on a tray. "I assume that's for him?"

"Yep, he had just woken up not that long ago, but his fever hasn't broken yet." Sara affirmed with a cheerful smile.

"Heh, I'm not going to lie, I am very curious about this stranger you've brought into your home." The village chief stated with a serious tone and expression. "For it's strange for a man to be wandering around in the middle of the night during a storm, am I right?"

"Yeah, you're not wrong, and those bruises and cuts he has on his body make me really curious." Jaecar agreed with a small nod of his head.

"I'm more curious about those scars he had gotten on his back." Sara declared after deciding to voice her thoughts on the subject. "From what I saw it looked like he had been whipped around fifty times."

Hearing this, the village chief released a sound that was one of thought while scratching his beard. "He could have been a former slave then. Male slaves may not be as common as female slaves, but they are a thing."

"Maybe, but all I know is that the longer I stand here chatting with you two, the longer his soup gets cold." Sara declared in a joking manner before walking away with the tray in her hands, and leaving the two males behind.

Upon returning to the guest bedroom where Tatsumi was staying, Sara was welcomed to the sight of Tatsumi still laying in bed, which was a surprise to her, for she had expected him to try getting out of bed again.

As she approached the bed, and greeted Tatsumi again, the village chief and her husband entered the room with the latter taking the lead.

Once she had arrived at the side of the bed, Tatsumi's eyes fluttered open, and upon seeing Sara, he muttered with a bit of happiness in his voice. "Farah."

Sara said nothing at this, and merely offered him a smile. Her words weren't going to reach the man's ears, so there was no point telling him that she wasn't Farah.

"He looks like crap." Jaecar stated upon approaching the side of the bed his wife was on as she set the tray down on the nightstand next to the head of the bed.

"You're not wrong." The old man agreed after reaching the other side of the bed. "The man looks like he had been through hell and back."

Tatsumi said nothing to the two men, and simply continued to gaze at _Farah_. He had so many things he wanted to say and ask her, but he was just too tired to do anything. In all honesty, he felt like he was going to pass out any second now, but he did everything in his power to keep his eyelids open.

Jaecar had seen the way Tatsumi was staring at his wife, and wasn't exactly a huge fan of the stares he was giving her.

Sara had noticed the frown appear on Jaecar's face, and quickly spoke to prevent him from doing anything reckless to the sick man. "It's fine, dear. He's just hallucinating, and thinks I'm his lost love Farah."

Jaecar said nothing, but his gaze did soften slightly. However, the moment he sees him try something with his wife is the moment he punches him in the face. Sick or not, that doesn't give him the right to touch his wife.

Satisfied that she was able to stop her husband from doing anything foolish, Sara said to Tatsumi. "Are you hungry? I made you some soup."

"... Y-Yes." Tatsumi answered after a few seconds, which made Sara smile.

Looking to her husband, she asked him if he could get her a chair, in which he responded with. "Sure thing."

As Jaecar left the room to get a chair that wouldn't rock back and forth, the village chief said to her. "So I'm guessing you two don't know really anything about this man?"

"No." She affirmed before diverting her attention back to Tatsumi who had closed his eyes for a couple of seconds. "Jaecar had found him approaching our house last night, and brought him inside before he had passed out, so we haven't really had a chance to talk to him, and even when he's awake, all I hear him say is his love's name."

"Hmph, well if he does say anything interesting let me know, but for now I have no problem with him staying in the village." The village chief declared after a bit of pondering.

"Don't worry, we will." Sara affirmed which had caused the old man to smile. He didn't hate outsiders, but people that show up in the middle of the night like him usually have a tendency to bring unwanted trouble, and that was something he didn't want at all.

* * *

Akame had a small frown as she and Lubbock left the inn. She didn't disguise herself like Lubbock, who had practically became a different person with his disguise and simply wore her cloak to hide the majority of her features.

If someone were to recognize her, the two of them would just leave the area, for the person would have to get the Imperial Police, and that would take some time depending on where they were, so she wasn't concerned about being seen.

"Well, I'm all out of ideas. What about you, Akame?" Lubbock said with a sigh. He had figured that Tatsumi would have most likely gone deeper into the city to avoid the Imperial Police and the Jaegers, but to his disappointment, his search in the district has been nothing but failure.

Akame at first didn't say anything. Tatsumi hadn't been a member for long, so they weren't able to ask their contacts and informants if the had seen him, and even if they did, she doubted they'd have any useful information.

"I don't know." Akame declared after a while with a troubled look. "There is the possibility he could have gone back to the hideout already, but I could be wrong. In all honesty, there are so many things that could have happened, and that concerns me."

"Yeah, you're not wrong." Lubbock agreed as he put his hands behind the back of his head and began to walk down the street. "The city is a big place, so he could be anywhere right now. If I'm being honest here too, we're just wasting our time. Yeah, I know he's apart of the team, but the odds of us finding him are none existent. We'd have a better chance at finding a strand of hair in a haystack."

Akame said nothing, but she couldn't stop herself from somewhat agreeing with him. Even if they searched the entire city for Tatsumi; there was still the chance that he could have gone to one of the many places they had searched.

"You're right, but I still think we should keep looking and try finding out what happened last night." Akame declared after a few seconds of them silently walking.

"Alright then, but I doubt we're going to find out much." Lubbock said in response.

* * *

Jaecar had a troubled expression written on his face upon entering his home.

It had been about a day and a half since they had taken in Tatsumi, who had finally revealed his name to them after recovering a teeny tiny bit of his strength. He, however, didn't recall calling Sara, Farah, but because he couldn't remember any of this, Sara decided it was best not bring it up, and left it in the past.

Unfortunately, this wasn't the cause of Jaecar's frown. Not long ago, a few Imperial soldiers had arrived at the village with some wanted posters and hung them up on the bounty board.

One of the posters was a drawing of a masked man from the shoulders up, and it said on the large piece of paper.

 _[ **WANTED**_  
 _ **DEAD OR ALIVE.**_  
 _NIGHT-RAID_  
 ** _Name: Unknown._  
 _REWARDS:_**  
 _800 gold if brought back alive.  
500 gold if brought back dead._  
 _FEATURES  
_ _Eyes: Unknown.  
Hair: Presumed to be black.  
Skin: Unknown, but presumed to be tanned or white.  
Height: Average height, believed to be around 5'5-5'7.  
Physique: Slender and Athletic.  
Remarks: Group of assassins, wields two swords, and wears a mask.]_

Now, Jaecar wouldn't have bothered looking at this specific wanted poster if he hadn't seen the mask that was illustrated before, but because he had seen it, and very recently, he realized that he and his wife might be housing one of the deadliest people in the country.

The thought had sent chills down his spine, but it had also made him realize that if they turned this man in, then they'd be set for life. However, if this backfired, then there lives would be lost.

These thoughts troubled him, for he didn't think Tatsumi was a bad man, but if they kept quiet about him staying with them, and people found out about this, then he and his wife would be tortured to death or worse.

Releasing a small sigh, Jaecar told himself that he was going to discuss this with his wife, and decide what to do with Tatsumi together.

* * *

 **(Revan's AN) I could have gone on a little bit more, but instead I decided to end it here. That's part two of this small arc, and part three will be the finale of it. Besides that, I don't have much else to say, so I'm just going to go now. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and yeah bye. Oh, one last thing, I'm really looking forward to the two reuniting, I have a wonderful plan for it.**

 **Link to the discord server:** discord .gg/ VSfSVGT


	39. The Storm Part III

**(Revan's AN):I've been busy, what can I say?**

 **Full Summary:** Tatsumi Seika, the second son of Kaito Seika, was a rebellious child. Unlike his siblings, he didn't care about the duties of a prince, and after being told that he was going to marry some noblewoman, he ran away from home. Now, after five years of being away, Tatsumi has finally returned.

 **Non-canon, single-pairing, OOC Characters.**

* * *

 _"Flashbacks" -_ **Thinking**

"Flashbacks" - _**Talking**_

 _[Flashbacks]_ **\- Letters or Reports.**

 **Theme Song: This Will Be The Day, by Jeff Williams and Casey Lee Williams.**

 **Main Writer:** Revan the Edgelord

 **Co-Writer:** None.

* * *

"Sara, we need to talk." Jaecar declared upon seeing her leave the guest bedroom Tatsumi was staying in, which had caused her to flinch from surprise.

"Oh, what is it, dear?" Sara asked after recovering from her surprise. She had a bit of a concerned expression written on her face.

Jaecar opened his mouth only to close it and frown. He didn't know if Tatsumi was awake, so upon his mouth again, he said to her. "Is Tatsumi asleep?"

"No, he is currently awake right now." She answered, which made his frown deepen. He didn't want Tatsumi to hear this conversation they were going to be having, for he felt like the man would still be able to kill them in his feverish state of mind.

"Come with me real quick. I need to talk to you about something important." Jaecar ordered in a firm and serious tone.

"Okay." Came Sara's somewhat nervous response. She didn't know what he wanted to talk about, but she had believed it to be important due to him talking to her in this type of tone.

After walking down the stairs with Jaecar carefully watching over to make sure she doesn't fall, the two of them went towards the kitchen slash dining room and sat down at the table.

Upon taking their seats, Jaecar spoke in a quieter voice than before. He wanted to believe that Tatsumi couldn't hear him, but because he was a member of Night-Raid, Jaecar assumed his hearing was top notch.

"I think Tatsumi is apart of Night-Raid." Were the words Jaecar declared in his low, but serious tone.

"What?" Sara whispered in a surprised manner for multiple reasons. "What did you say?"

"I said, I think Tatsumi is a member of Night-Raid." Jaecar stated in a voice that was a little bit louder, but still very quiet.

"What makes you think this?" Sara questioned in a somewhat doubtful voice. While she figured Tatsumi was a warrior of some kind, she couldn't exactly believe Tatsumi was a member of the group assassinating nobles, and that was because he was young. Sure, he had a small beard and mustache which made him look older, but if she trimmed that off, then she'd without a doubt see a young man's cute face, at least that's what she believed.

"Earlier today a group of soldiers from the Capital and put up some wanted posters on the bounty board. I originally didn't pay much attention, but after seeing one of them, I approached the board and saw that there was a bounty of 500-800 gold for a man wearing the mask that Tatsumi is wearing. It claimed that the man is apart of Night-Raid." Jaecar informed in a serious tone.

"Okay, but what makes you so sure that Tatsumi is the man the Empire is looking for?" Sara questioned, still not convinced that Tatsumi was a criminal. He didn't seem like a bad person in her eyes at all, and because she considered herself to be a great judge of character, she was going to defend him.

"Because everything on the wanted poster matches his description." He affirmed in a slightly agitated voice. He didn't know why she was vehemently defending Tatsumi, but it irked him. "He wears a mask, has dual swords, black hair, and a slightly slender athletic build. The description is practically spot on."

"Okay, let's assume Tatsumi is actually a member of Night-Raid and that there is a wanted poster for him. What is it that you're wanting to do?" Sara asked in an earnest manner.

"I want you to think about us, and what could happen to us if we keep him here." Jaecar stated in a softer tone. He didn't want to argue with his wife, and he was glad that she was willing to listen to him, for she could be really stubborn sometimes. "If people found out that we took care of a member of Night-Raid, then we could die or worse."

Sara said nothing at this. She had heard some rumors about Night-Raid informants getting burnt alive in their homes by the hands of General Esdeath, but she didn't know if this was true or not. However, the thought of this happening to her did _terrify_ her.

"... Okay, so are you wanting to turn him into the Empire?" Sara asked after several seconds of silence.

"That... I don't know." Jaecar started with a troubled expression. While he wasn't a fan of what was going on in the Empire, he didn't exactly agree with Night-Raid and the Revolutionary Army's ideas either. He didn't think everything needed to change due to the corrupt officials, but he did think that some changes were needed.

"I don't know what has happened to Tatsumi in the past that led him to where he is right now, but my priorities right now are you and our child. I don't know if we should turn him into the authorities, but I also don't think he should stay here. He's a risk, and a risk I don't want to take." He continued as he gazed into her eyes with a serious look.

"So what? Are you suggesting we just kick him out of our home?" Sara questioned in a somewhat offended manner. She had understood that if Tatsumi was a member of Night-Raid, then the possibility of them losing their lives were very high, but the thought of kicking out a sick, and injured man upsetted her greatly.

"Sara, I understand that you don't like the idea of kicking out a sick person, but you need to understand that this man is a danger." Jaecar stated in a slightly annoyed tone, he knew Sara was a sweet woman and would help anyone in need, but now wasn't the time to be sweet and caring, now was the time to think about herself and their child.

" _This man_ for all you know could not be a member of Night-Raid, and you could have just been imagining things." Sara replied with her own bit of annoyance. She doubted her husband would come to her with this information if he wasn't one hundred percent sure that he was a wanted man, but she didn't see the poster, so she doubted him a little. She was also being like this because of the attitude he was giving her.

Jaecar couldn't believe what he was hearing, and said in a loud tone with traces of disbelief in it. "Sara, are you for real? Are you seriously going to deny all of this, and tell me that the man is an innocent man when I have seen the poster!? If you really don't believe me, then I'll take you outside to the bounty board, so that you can see it for yourself with your own eyes."

Sara said nothing at first, for she had realized that the way she was acting was wrong. While it was okay to question him, she shouldn't deny everything her husband is saying just because she personally believes Tatsumi is innocent. She should have a neutral mind on this matter.

However, Sara would not apologize to him for her pride wouldn't allow that. Instead, she said to him. "Fine, let's say he is a member of Night-Raid, what are you suggesting we do to him?"

"We turn him into the authorities." Jaecar declared in a firm tone that had no traces of joking in it whatsoever. "I know that if he is a member of Night-Raid that we're practically giving him a fate worse than death, but you have to understand it's us or him. This world is a beautiful one, but it's also a cruel one as well. If we don't do this, then we could die."

Sara was silent as she thought of what to say in response. While, she believed the chances of them getting found out for housing a potential member of Night-Raid was low, she still knew it could happen.

"Can you give me a day to think about this, dear?" Sara requested after a while with a bit of a troubled look. "I'd like some time to think about this."

Seeing there was nothing wrong with giving her some time to think about this, Jaecar said to her. "Sure."

* * *

Tatsumi sat up straight upon his eyes snapping open. He was drenched in sweat, and his breathing was a little faster than normal.

He had been sleeping peacefully about a minute ago before suddenly starting to toss and turn. It didn't take him long before he was covered in sweat. He also didn't know why, but his mind was telling him that he needed to get away from where he is now.

The reason why it was because he felt a presence coming towards him, he didn't know what it was or who it was, but it felt somewhat familiar.

Not bothering to waste any time wondering what this feeling was, Tatsumi threw the bed covers off of him and got out of his bed. His body felt heavy, and his eyes were having a hard time staying open, but Tatsumi pushed himself to get away from the bed.

He couldn't sleep, not when his body was practically yelling at him to get out of here. It was strange and random, but this sixth sense he has had yet to lead him astray, so he was going to listen to it like he usually would.

Remembering where had placed all of his stuff, Tatsumi walked over to the closet and opened it.

Once he had opened it, he undressed himself as fast as he possibly could. It took him several seconds, but he managed to get his clothes off.

After he had achieved this, Tatsumi then began to put on the clothing that he usually wore, and as time passed that feeling he had sensed got closer and closer. It was a slightly cold feeling, but also warm, which was strange.

Eventually, after a bit of effort, he was able to equip his usual outfit, and got to work on putting his boots on. He didn't bother sitting down and putting them on like normal people would, he simply tried to put them on one after the other while standing on one leg, which had nearly caused him to fall.

Luckily though, he didn't fall over, and was able to adorn them.

Because he was putting his clothing on at a fast pace, he didn't stop sweating and in fact, was sweating a little bit more than before.

However, this didn't stop Tatsumi. Even though his body felt heavy, and he had the urge to take the clothes he had just put on off, Tatsumi continued to get dressed, for he didn't know what was coming and honestly didn't want to find out either.

He was still weak, despite what he was doing now, Tatsumi knew he was in no condition to fight. He doubted that he'd also get far from the village, but he had to try while he still could.

After tying his boots, Tatsumi grabbed both his mask and swords before closing the closet door quietly and making his way to the window. He didn't know if Sara or her husband was awake or not, so he had decided to exit the house through the window. Sure, he'd be falling out of the two-story window, but he was confident his body could handle the fall.

Upon opening the window, Tatsumi tossed out the two sheathed blades before climbing out of the window and dropping down onto the dirt and grass. He didn't quite manage to stick the landing, so he had to take a few seconds to gather his strength before moving again.

 _"A little sickness is nothing compared to what I've been through."_ He muttered to himself as he picked up the twin blades and walked away from the house in a somewhat steady pace.

* * *

Upon arriving at the village, Esdeath shouted to the company of soldiers on horses behind her. "Someone get me the village's chief! I will have words with him later!"

"Yes, General!" A few of the soldiers declared before riding into the heart of the village.

With that said and done, Esdeath looked to the remaining soldiers, and spoke to them in the same loud voice before riding off to a house that was on the edge of the village. "Everyone else, gather up the villagers!"

"Yes, General!" They all complied before breaking off from their formation and going their separate ways. Some of them went in Esdeath's direction, but no one followed her.

Upon arriving at the house, Esdeath dismounted from her horse and walked up the steps to the front door. She didn't bother knocking and simply kicked open the door, for she knew who was in the house.

A potential Night-Raid member.

How she knew this was because one of her many spies she had planted in the villages around the Capital City had made a report about the couple who lived in this home taking care of a stranger. They spy didn't know much about the stranger, but from what he had gathered, he revealed that the man was supposedly injured.

Now, at first Esdeath had seen this as unimportant, but after a few minutes of dwelling in her own thoughts, she realized that this could potentially be the man who had attacked Seryu.

The chances of the stranger being a member of Night-Raid were low, but what did she have to lose? If the man isn't apart of Night-Raid, then she'd just go back to the Capital City, but if he was...

Well, she'd do many things to him.

However, upon entering the household, Esdeath was graced with a scent she had engraved into her nose.

 _Tatsumi's scent._

She had practically trained her nose to the point where his scent would stand out from others. Unfortunately, she wasn't like a certain Danger Beast in the far South that could pick up anyone's scent miles away from them. She was human, and still had limitations.

After inhaling deeply through her nose, Esdeath quickly made her way to the stairs that lead to the second floor and rushed up them.

Upon reaching the top did Esdeath run into one of the home owners, but she didn't pay any attention to the man, and simply pushed him to the side as he called out to her.

Once she reached the end of the hallway, the Ice Queen took another massive whiff of the air with her nose to confirm that the room on her left was the one that had her lover's scent. After she did this, she entered the room.

Jaecar, the man who Esdeath pushed out of her way had ceased his demanding and didn't bother getting up, for he felt like his life was at an end now. It had taken him a couple of seconds for him to realize that the person who had invaded his home was General Esdeath, the Empire's Strongest and commander of the Jaegers.

Believing that General Esdeath would come out of the room any second now with Tatsumi, Jaecar sat on his butt for nearly a minute, and during his time his wife left their bedroom and asked him what was going on.

However, because General Esdeath didn't leave the room, Jaecar became curious and got up off of the floor. He wondered if it was possible that Tatsumi got the drop on her. Although, he highly doubted Tatsumi did, he couldn't help from wondering.

As he moved to the bedroom that General Esdeath entered, he ordered his wife to stay put, and stay over there where she was safe.

After his wife complied with his command, Jaecar averted all of his attention to the room Tatsumi was staying in, and slowly poked his head in to see what was going on, but to his surprise, both Esdeath and Tatsumi were nowhere to be seen.

Because he was completely taken back by the room being empty, he couldn't stop himself from releasing an audible, "What?"

...

...

...

After leaving the room by jumping out of the window, Esdeath fell to one knee and examined the ground beneath her. She could easily see the footprints planted into the ground despite it being late at night.

Placing both her index and middle finger onto the ground, while inhaling through her nose, Esdeath said aloud in a low tone. "Tatsumi, where do you think you're going so late at night? Are you perhaps trying to escape me?"

While she did doubt that Tatsumi knew she was coming, she wasn't going to take this out of consideration, for he was her lover, and that would be slandering him. He was an apex predator like her, sure he may not be as strong as her, but regardless, the fact remains that he is one.

"A futile attempt if you ask me, Tatsumi." She said to herself as she rose to her feet and began jogging in the direction Tatsumi's footprints led. "I was a hunter before becoming a General of the Empire, so tracking things down is my specialty."

As she ran into the woods, Esdeath kept an eye on the trail. She was pretty sure Tatsumi didn't know she was after him, so she didn't think it was necessary for her to use her nose anymore, but that didn't stop her, for the faint scent she was following brought her joy.

The scent wasn't as strong as the room's scent, but that was because he was outside, and Tatsumi didn't spend a day out in the woods touching everything.

 _"You may have gotten a head start Tatsumi, but I won't let you get away from me."_ Esdeath thought as she continued to follow the tracks. _"I will find you, and I will bring you back to the Capital, and then punish you accordingly for everything."_

That was the promise Esdeath made to herself that night as she followed his trail.

* * *

Tatsumi released a long and deep sigh as he pressed his back against the trunk of a red oak tree.

He had pushed himself as far as he possibly could, and now he was out of stamina. The presence he had felt was getting closer and closer every second, which meant it wouldn't be long before whoever it was to come and get him.

He didn't know who it was, but he was pretty sure it was none other than Esdeath, for there was no way anyone else would track him down for what felt like miles on end like this.

"I guess this is it..." He muttered to himself as he slowly sank to the ground. "I guess this is my fate..."

He had hoped he would have had a little bit more time before encountering Esdeath again, but he assumed that this was part of his destiny, part of the Lord's vision he had of him.

As the presence continued to draw near him, Tatsumi wondered what would happen to him if the thing that was coming towards him was indeed Esdeath. Would he be tortured? Would he be told that she missed him greatly and love him? These thoughts filled his mind, and the majority of them scared him.

However, as these findings clouded his mind, He also came to realize that this was the perfect time to confront her as well. That it was time for him to take his stand against her, and let her know that he truly could never be hers.

It would be terrifying that was for sure, and the chances of him getting tortured would be high, but he needed to resolve himself now, or else he'd never be able to confront her.

Not long after he decided that he needed to resolve himself did he someone come through the large bushes that weren't that far in front of him, they had light blue hair that he knew too well and dark blue eyes.

The person that was chasing him was indeed _Esdeath_.

Her lips curved upwards upon seeing him sit against the tree, and she spoke to him in a sweet tone that was soft as silk. "Were you trying to get away from me, Tatsumi?"

Even though she had spoken in an affectionate manner, Tatsumi was able to pick up the tiny irritation in her voice, which made him think that he truly did walk for miles on end.

"No, not really." Tatsumi answered in a tired tone as he placed his mask on his lap and tilted his head back to look up at the starry sky, but could only see branches and leaves. "I was just trying to get away from the slightly cold presence I felt, but it turned out to be you."

"I see." Esdeath said in a more neutral tone as she approached him in a slow manner. She was doing everything in power to stop herself from running up hugging and kissing him, for she was supposed to be a little angry with him.

However, upon seeing his face, which now had a more mature look due to the small beard and mustache, she had almost lost herself.

Once she stood directly in front of him, Esdeath crouched down and said to him as he directed his attention towards her. "So you're a member of Night-Raid now?"

"Yeah, I am." Tatsumi replied in the same tired tone he had answered in before as he stared into her eyes. He had found them to be beautiful, but instead of bringing him joy it only saddened him, for he knew that those eyes of hers were going to be shut one day for good by him.

Esdeath said nothing upon hearing this, but those three words troubled her greatly. The reason why was because this meant that Najenda was able to get Tatsumi to betray her, and side with her enemies. It meant that her love for him wasn't strong enough.

"Why?" She finally asked after several seconds of silence. "Why would you betray me? Why would you join them?"

"Because our reasons are practically the same." Tatsumi answered after a while of contemplating. "They want the Empire to change, and I want it to fall, Esdeath."

Esdeath again said nothing for a while. She had thought that she had changed him, and made him forget wanting to tear down the Empire, but it appears she was wrong. He was still the same man that she brought home from Espera.

To make matters worse, she had also realized that since he was a former enemy of the Empire, the odds of him being allowed to roam around the Imperial Palace right now were nonexistent, for Budo wouldn't allow him any freedom. He'd demand that Tatsumi be interrogated and then executed, for his crimes against the Empire.

Seeing her troubled expression, Tatsumi said to her in a slightly soft tone. "So what happens now? I'm an enemy of the Empire again, and a member of the most wanted group in it. What do you plan to do with me?"

"What I've planned to do since I lost you, take you back." Esdeath declared as she rose to her feet and stared down at him. "I didn't expect you to change, but it doesn't matter, I'll make you remember who you belong to."

"... I don't want that." Tatsumi said after a while with a small frown.

"And I didn't want to hear that you joined Night-Raid, but we don't always get what we want, do we?" Esdeath rebutted in a harsh tone that made his frown deepen.

"Esdeath..." Tatsumi said in a somewhat sad voice with a small look of pity in his eyes. "You must realize that there is no place for me in the Imperial Palace. If I go back with you I'll most likely spend my life in chains for who knows how long. Just leave me here."

"I will make a place for you there again, Tatsumi." Esdeath stated in a serious tone as she glared at him. "And you have no one to blame, but yourself. Your actions that you have made are what caused the chains to wrap around you, not me. I have done nothing, but showed you love and affection, and instead of returning it, you sided with my enemies."

"I was always your enemy, Esdeath." Tatsumi stated as he looked down at his lap, his eyes were getting really heavy and he was starting to lose consciousness. "I will always be your enemy. You just don't want to admit that."

Esdeath didn't say anything. She was going to have Tatsumi again, she didn't care about the methods she'd have to use, she was going to make him hers again.

* * *

 **(Revan's AN): I had thought about Esdeath letting him go, but that wouldn't be her if I did that. Esdeath is practically obsessed with him, so there was no way she'd leave him there. Anyways, I got nothing else to say, but I hope you enjoyed the chapter.**

 **Link to the discord server:** discord .gg/ VSfSVGT


	40. Steeling The Heart

**(Revan's AN): Well, things shall be interesting.**

 **Full Summary:** Tatsumi Seika, the second son of Kaito Seika, was a rebellious child. Unlike his siblings, he didn't care about the duties of a prince, and after being told that he was going to marry some noblewoman, he ran away from home. Now, after five years of being away, Tatsumi has finally returned.

 **Non-canon, single-pairing, OOC Characters.**

* * *

 _"Flashbacks" -_ **Thinking**

"Flashbacks" - _**Talking**_

 _[Flashbacks]_ **\- Letters or Reports.**

 **Theme Song: This Will Be The Day, by Jeff Williams and Casey Lee Williams.**

 **Main Writer:** Revan the Edgelord

 **Co-Writer:** None.

* * *

"Goddamnit!" Najenda roared in frustration as she slammed her bionic arm onto the table without warning, which caused a few of the members of Night-Raid to flinch from the sudden bang. "Not even two weeks has gone by since we've returned here and he's already back in Esdeath's clutches!"

"Damn, the Boss is really pissed off about this..." Leone whispered into Lubbock's right ear as Najenda continued to vent about how she hates herself for allowing this to happen, and how she hates the Esperan prince. Sadly, it was mostly her swearing about Tatsumi.

"Well, I mean, can you blame her?" Lubbock questioned in a low tone as he glanced at Leone. "She literally worked her butt off in convincing the other leaders of the Revolutionary Army to let him join our group, and now he's back being the Empire's hostage."

"Heh, you're not wrong, but I don't think it's exactly his fault." Leone said as she crossed her arms and changed her position to a more loose one as Lubbock shot her a questioning look, which signified that he wanted her to explain what she meant by that.

Seeing the quizzical look he was giving her, Leone went on to explain herself. "I mean, from what I've heard Esdeath practically tracked him down from the village he was hiding in. Apparently, she had found his trail and followed him into the woods, so he did try to escape her. It was just that she hunted him down."

"Huh, well I guess if that's the case, I can't say it's his fault, but still it sucks..." Lubbock said with a small frown as he averted his attention to the silver-haired woman who had yet to cease her raging and ranting.

Eventually, after about two more minutes, Najenda ceased her yelling, and said in a much more calmer tone. "Okay, for the time being, we'll assume that Tatsumi is still on our side, and continue our assassinations, of course, we will relocate again, but for now, we will have to leave Tatsumi with Esdeath."

"Understood, Boss." Complied the majority of Night-Raid. The only one who didn't acknowledge this was Akame, for she had remained silent.

Her expression was the same one she always wore a neutral one that held no emotions, but deep down, she was troubled by this information. She felt like it was her fault in a way for not trying to find Tatsumi sooner.

 _"I'm sorry, Tatsumi."_ Akame thought to herself as she tightened her grasp on Murasame. _"I promise I will free you from Esdeath's grasp, but for now, you must wait. Wait for me, for I will come for you one of these days."_

* * *

Tatsumi had an emotionless expression as he sat with his legs crossed on the floor in Esdeath's room.

He had assumed it had been a day or two since he returned to the Imperial Palace with Esdeath, but if he was being honest with himself, he really had no idea how many days it had been.

His fever had broke about twelve hours ago, and instead of laying down and sleeping, he decided to sit on the cold floor and wait for Esdeath to return. As for the reason why, it was because he wanted to glare at her and remind her that she did this to him.

Of course, he would have tried to escape by now if he could, but because Esdeath threw him into the cell she had specifically made for him a long time ago, he could do nothing, but gaze at her in a spiteful manner.

Eventually, after about another hour of him sitting there doing nothing, the door to the room opened, but to his disappointment, it wasn't Esdeath who came in, it was Wave with a couple armed guards and tray of food.

However, he couldn't see Wave's face, for he wore the mask that late Elias wore.

"Wave." Tatsumi said in a low tone that reached the dark blue haired male's ears as the doors to the room closed, and the guards approached the sides of the cell with spears in their hands.

"Tatsumi." Wave greeted back in a neutral tone as he approached the door to the cell with the tray of food.

In the past, the two would have greeted each other in a friendly manner, but this time there was no warmth in their voices, they were just empty greetings.

"You've changed." Tatsumi declared as Wave unlocked the door with one arm while holding the large tray full of food with the other. He didn't bother moving from his position, for all of the guards had readied their spears and made it clear that if he tries something, they'll stop him. Or at the very least, try to stop him.

"So have you." Wave rebutted as he opened the door, there was a tiny trace of anger in his voice upon him saying this. "You betrayed us."

"I betrayed myself before I betrayed you guys." Tatsumi affirmed in a serious tone as Wave entered the room and came to a stop in front of him. "In case you forgot, my nation was at war with the Empire, I was an enemy way before I was your ally."

Wave said nothing at this, for he had realized that what Tatsumi said was true, he was once an enemy of the Empire. However, instead of continuing the conversation, Wave said to the sitting man. "Esdeath will be back soon, enjoy the meal, traitor."

Tatsumi was silent, and simply watched as Wave placed the tray on the table not far from him before exiting the cell. After he left the cage, and started closing its door, Tatsumi called out to him.

"You know, I don't hate you, Wave. I'm just disappointed in you. You're blind to the truth and don't see what's going on in this country." These were the words that Tatsumi said to the dark blue haired male.

"... I can say the same thing about you, Tatsumi." Wave said after several seconds of silently staring at him before turning around and walking away with the armed guards right behind him.

After they left, Tatsumi released a sigh. He knew that Wave would most likely ignore the truth, but he had hoped that he'd have realized what has been going on while he's been away. Unfortunately, he was wrong and Wave was still the idiot he knew.

Glancing over at the food, Tatsumi contemplated on whether he should eat or not since he wanted to spite Esdeath. However, after a couple of seconds, he decided it was best to eat now while he still could before he angers Esdeath.

...

...

...

Upon returning to her bedroom, Esdeath was greeted by the sight of Tatsumi sitting on top of his knees with an emotionless expression, and his eyes closed. His hands were on top of his thighs, and it looked as if he was meditating.

This was an interesting sight in Esdeath's opinion, for she had expected him to glare at her, and say something to her like he had once done so in the past, but he didn't call out to him like she thought he would. This had also made her want to say something to him, but instead, she simply moved to the bathroom to take a quick shower like she planned on doing upon returning.

Once she finished taking her shower, Esdeath returned to the large bedroom and saw that Tatsumi had yet to move from the position she had seen him in upon entering the room.

Wanting to know what he was thinking about, Esdeath approached the cage with only a towel covering herself, and said to him in a soft voice with a trace of curiosity in it. "Tatsumi?"

Tatsumi in response to hearing this said nothing at first, but eventually he answered by saying, "What?"

He didn't exactly reply in a cold manner, but there wasn't any warmth and friendliness in his voice either, it was a neutral one that barely held any emotions in it.

Esdeath knew after hearing this tone from him that getting him to become hers again like she did in the past wouldn't be easy. However, she had told herself she'd do whatever it takes to get him back, but for now, she was going to be patient, and wait and see if he'd open up his heart himself.

After all, he had nowhere to go, so there was no need to rush these things, even if she wanted to do many things with him, she was going to wait a little longer, and hold back these wants she has for him until he was at the very least he was somewhat ready.

"I just wanna know if you enjoyed the meal, I would have made it myself, but I had a very important meeting going on at the time, so I couldn't exactly leave to make it for you." Esdeath stated in the same soft voice she had spoken in earlier.

She knew he wasn't happy with the choice she made, about taking him back to the Imperial Palace, but she wanted him to understand that this was for the best of him. He was being brainwashed by Night-Raid, and needed to be by her side that way he could remember all the great moments they had together.

"It was fine, now leave me alone." Tatsumi curtly replied before closing his eyes shut and resuming his assumed to be meditating.

Esdeath was taken back by this, but she didn't lash out at him or anything like that. She knew deep down that Tatsumi loved her, and knew that he just not in the right state of mind, so she was going to let this one go.

"Alright, I love you though, Tatsumi." She said before walking away from the cage and leaving Tatsumi alone.

Tatsumi said nothing, but he was slightly annoyed by the fact that she didn't react the way he wanted her to. He had originally wanted to glare at her, but had decided it was better to ignore her and when he does respond, he answers in a rude or emotionless tone.

Opening his eyes a little, he watched as Esdeath took off her towel and began putting on her pajamas which happened to be only a long sleeve button up shirt.

As she buttoned up her shirt a little, Tatsumi thought about what he should say to her since it wasn't night time yet, and from what he can see so far, she has no plans on leaving the room.

Not knowing what to say, he just called out to her.

"Esdeath." He said in a neutral tone causing Esdeath to stop what she was doing and give him all of her attention.

"Yes?" She said in response. She had not expected him to talk to her anymore tonight, and was fine with that, for she understood he was still upset with her, but if he was wanting to, then she was willing to give him all of her attention in hopes the distance between them would be closed.

"Has my fate been decided? Am I going to spend the rest of my life in this cage? Like a bird?" He asked after a few seconds of silence.

"No, I have spoken with the Emperor, and we have agreed that once the war is over you'll be allowed to leave the Capital City. Of course, you will be banished and not be allowed to return, but you and I will be together, and we'll be allowed to roam the world if you want or find a place to settle down, if that is what you want." Esdeath declared in a slightly firm, but soft tone.

Tatsumi's eyes dropped upon hearing this. "Wars can last a long time, Esdeath. I'd rather be executed than-"

"You're not going to be executed." Esdeath nearly shouted as her eyes narrowed slightly, which had caused Tatsumi to move his eyes upward and look at her. "I won't let that happen, Tatsumi. No matter what, even if the Prime Minister demands your head, I will not let him take it. I will protect you."

At this, a silence filled the room. Tatsumi stared into Esdeath's eyes and he was able to tell from the look she had in them that she was completely serious. She wasn't going to let anyone take him away from her.

Unfortunately for her, there was someone who had already captured his heart.

"... I love someone else, Esdeath." He stated, breaking the silence that had filled the room.

Esdeath wasn't expecting this at all, and couldn't help herself from saying aloud in a slightly shocked voice. "What?"

"There's someone else my heart belongs to, Esdeath." Tatsumi declared in a firm tone as he gazed at her with a stern expression. "Which is why I can't love you or be with you."

Esdeath, at that moment, said nothing. Instead, she moved to the cell door, unlocked it, and then entered his cell.

Tatsumi didn't know what she was thinking due to her expression being one of nothing, but as he started to get up Esdeath in the blink of an eye closed the distance between the two of them and grabbed him by the face and slammed him against the cell's bars.

He didn't see this coming at all, and had tried to react, but right before he connected with the bars she began to freeze him from the neck down, pinning him effectively to the bars behind him.

This action had caused Tatsumi's breathing to quicken, and make him try to break out of her grasp, but Esdeath's grip was strong, and she forced him to look directly into her eyes.

Eventually, after he had managed to calm down, Esdeath spoke to him.

" _Tell me this is a joke_." She had demanded this in a quiet voice that was lower than a whisper, and held no warmth or love in it.

Tatsumi at first was silent. He knew that if he continued down this path, then there'd be no going back, he would anger Esdeath and possibly die here.

"... It isn't." He answered after what felt like an eternity of silence in a grave tone.

Esdeath upon hearing those two words closed her eyes and turned her head away from him. She was trying not to get anymore angrier, but she was finding that to be a tough job when Tatsumi literally just told her that he loved another woman.

Taking a couple of deep breaths, and managing to calm herself down a bit, Esdeath turned her head back towards him, and started to speak in a curt and ruthless voice. "You belong to me, Tatsumi. You can not love anyone else, but _me_! Now, am I understood!?"

She had shouted the word, 'me' at him before asking him in a more calmer tone if he understood her and had expected him to comply, but Tatsumi just looked at her with eyes full of pity and sadness.

"I'm sorry, but-mmfph." He began before getting his mouth covered by her hand, which successfully muffled his voice.

"This isn't how things are supposed to be, Tatsumi." Esdeath said in a low tone as she placed her forehead against his to where they were breathing the same air. "We're supposed to be loving each other, not this..."

Tatsumi didn't try saying anything since his mouth was still covered by his hand, but a part of him did truly feel sorry for her, for what she wanted was something unobtainable in this life.

Pulling her head and gazing into his eyes, Esdeath said to him in the same low tone. "Night-Raid has poisoned your mind, and turned you against me, but I'll make you remember who you belong to, I'll make you remember that the person you love is me."

With that declaration, Esdeath unfroze him, and without warning threw him to the side of the cell where his bed was located. He had crashed into the bars and was knocked out due to banging the back of his head against the bars before landing on the bed and bouncing a few times.

As he laid there unconsciously, Esdeath unbuttoned her shirt and approached him. She no longer cared about waiting, she needed to make him remember that he loved her before it was too late. That with her he would be the happiest man in the world. She needed to do this before it was too late.

However, upon reaching the bed and turning him over, Esdeath saw that he was unconscious and came back to her senses very quickly.

"What am I doing?" She asked herself as took a few steps away, completely horrified about what she had done to him, and what she was about to do. "Tatsumi is my lover, not my pet."

She had told herself that she was going to do whatever it takes to get him back, but after coming so close to raping him, and seeing how he looked at her earlier, she had a clairvoyant moment and realized that if she went through with this, then she'd for sure destroy what they have between each other.

Esdeath didn't want that, she just wanted to hear that he loved her, but hearing that he has love for another woman had caused her to act with her emotions, and not her mind. She didn't mean to get violent with him, she was just angry with him, and any other woman would do the same thing if they were in her positon.

"I'm sorry, Tatsumi." She apologized after approaching him and getting a grip on herself. "I didn't mean to hurt you, I just didn't expect you to say that, will you forgive me?"

Tatsumi, of course, didn't respond due to him being knocked out, but at this Esdeath smiled, for she had taken his silence as forgiveness.

"Thank you, Tatsumi." She said before bending down and planting her lips on top of her forehead. She knew he loved her, he was just simply being difficult because he believed himself to be a member of Night-Raid.

However, once he remembers all the good times they have had together he'll stop acting like this and start treating her the way he's meant to treat her, like she's the most important person in his life.

* * *

Wave had a troubled expression written on his face as he sat at the table with his arms crossed.

Usually, he would help Bols in cooking dinner for the Jaegers, but Bols had informed him that he looked like he was very upset about something, and that if something is bothering him, then he should leave the cooking to him for the day.

Wave was surprised by this remark, and had tried to tell him that everything was fine, but his voice lacked conviction, which only confirmed Bols' thought.

Thus being the reason as to why he is sitting at the table and not helping the large and muscular man in the kitchen.

 _"Why does it feel like I was the only one betrayed when they found out that Tatsumi was a member of Night-Raid?"_ Wave asked himself as his frown deepened a little.

He didn't know much about Tatsumi when he had first met the guy, but after asking around a little, he was able to find out that he was someone of royalty, and was recently at war with the Empire.

This had surprised him, but after seeing how he acted around Esdeath, and how she acted around him, Wave had thought that the reason he was no longer at war with the Empire was because he and Esdeath fell in love with one another.

However, this wasn't the case apparently, and he was just ignorant of the truth.

As he continued to think about Tatsumi, a familiar voice called out to him from his left.

"Hey."

Snapping out of his thoughts, Wave looked to his left and saw Kurome sitting in her usual chair that she'd sit in eating some candy like she'd usually do before dinner.

"H-Hey..." He answered a little taken back by how she had somehow managed to take her seat next to him without attracting his attention at all. "When did you get there?"

"About a minute ago." She answered before tossing the chocolate ball into her mouth. "You just were too busy scowling not to notice me."

Wave said nothing, and began to scratch the back of his head in embarrassment as his cheeks turned slightly red. If Esdeath was here, she would have for sure scolded him and gave him a very hard assignment that would most likely kill him in order to prevent something like this from ever happening again.

"So," Kurome started as she tossed another chocolate ball into her mouth. "what's making you have that face?"

"It's nothing." Wave answered a little too quickly and a little too sternly.

"Okay then." Kurome replied before putting a piece of candy in her mouth. She was no longer concerned about Wave, and whatever was going on with him anymore.

"Wasn't that a little too quick!?" Wave practically yelled, completely annoyed and taken back by the fact that she didn't even put any more effort in trying to find out what was bothering him.

"Hmm?" Kurome hummed in response, not understanding why he was shouting at all.

"Something's clearly bothering me, and instead of trying to find out you just gave up! Like, c'mon aren't you suppose to be my teammate?" He said in a slightly more quiet voice, but not that much quieter.

"But I did though, and you said it was nothing, so I left it as that." Kurome replied as she tilted her head to the side, still not understanding why he was getting all upset with her.

I-You, arggh..." Wave started before just giving up, he couldn't comprehend how their relationship had remained like this throughout the entire time Tatsumi was gone. He had gotten very close to Bols and Run, but his relationship with Kurome had barely moved at all.

Seeing as he had nothing else to say, Kurome continued eating her sweets, but there was a minor change in her expression.

Her lips had inched up slightly. Wave couldn't see it because he had planted his head on top of his arms and stared at the table, but Kurome was smiling.

* * *

 **(Revan's AN): Hmm, so I was really conflicted on what I wanted Esdeath to do. I had numerous ideas, but the problem was trying to convey them into words, I mean anyone can come up with ideas, but the problem I'd say is making them come to life. A part of me had wanted to her to be ruthless and willing to inflict harm on him, but another part of me didn't want that. I had eventually decided that it was best for her to be a little, mentally deficient. Anyways, I'm sorry if this wasn't my grandest of chapters, and this was a little lacklustering, but things are going to get spicy in the coming chapters. We're going to be in the endgame soon boys. Alright, with that said, I'm going to go.**

 **Link to the discord server:** discord .gg/ VSfSVGT **  
**


	41. Chasing The Fight Part I

**(Revan's AN): Reasons for why this is a very short chapter is at the end my devoted readers.**

 **Full Summary:** Tatsumi Seika, the second son of Kaito Seika, was a rebellious child. Unlike his siblings, he didn't care about the duties of a prince, and after being told that he was going to marry some noblewoman, he ran away from home. Now, after five years of being away, Tatsumi has finally returned.

 **Non-canon, single-pairing, OOC Characters.**

* * *

 _"Flashbacks" -_ **Thinking**

"Flashbacks" - _**Talking**_

 _[Flashbacks]_ **\- Letters or Reports.**

 **Theme Song: Point Of No Return, by Starset.**

 **Main Writer:** Revan the Edgelord

 **Co-Writer:** None.

* * *

Tatsumi released a sigh after letting go of the top bars and falling to the floor. He had landed on his feet, and was shirtless with a decent sweat going.

It had been a few days since he revealed that he loved someone else, and since then, nothing has changed really.

Esdeath still tried to get his affection, and bring him food that she had made herself, or so she claimed, but besides that, she didn't do anything else. She didn't try to get physical with him, and she didn't ask about this other woman he loved.

It was as if the incident had never happened.

This had bothered Tatsumi, and the thought of reiterating his statement had crossed his mind multiple times, but he was sure she had gotten it, and was just simply trying to change his opinion of her.

However, he had no intentions of doing that. He didn't care what would happen to him, he planned on being true to himself even if one of his alters told him it was better to submit to Esdeath. He was going to continue down this path regardless of what happens.

As his breathing returned to a slower and steadier pace, Tatsumi placed his hands behind the back of his head and grabbed ahold of his hair and began to make a low man bun.

His hair was still black and slightly long, which was a surprise for he had expected Esdeath to try getting the dye out as well as cut his hair while he was unconscious, but she didn't do anything to him. She just left it as it is, which was weird and suspicious in his mind since he had changed his hair color and style to hide from the Empire, and be apart of Night-Raid.

Once he had finished with his hair, he walked over to his bed where his shirt laid, and put it on.

He didn't know what time Esdeath was going to be back by, but he had secretly hoped she wouldn't be back until later tonight, for he was sure she was holding back her urges with him.

He had seen the way she had looked at him a few times, and him being a person of royalty who had spent a lot of nights at inns and taverns could spot out a lustful look when he sees one. Not to mention, he had spent a lot of time alone with Esdeath, so he'd like to believe that he knew the majority of the faces Esdeath would make.

After finished equipping his shirt, Tatsumi grabbed the one source of entertainment he had inside his little cage, a book called, _The Wolf Queen_.

It was so far a decent book, and Tatsumi enjoyed almost everything that he's read, but it was nowhere near his favorite one. The dialogues were fantastic, but the intense parts weren't that intense, and always ended with the Wolf Queen emerging triumphantly, and never losing.

Unfortunately, prisoners couldn't be choosers and couldn't choose what they wanted to read. In fact, he was lucky Esdeath had thought about his potential boredom and gave him something to read, so he wasn't going to complain about it. It was just better to accept what he gets and not pitch a fit.

As he sat down on his bed, Tatsumi opened the book up to where he last left off on, and resumed reading, _The Wolf Queen_.

Eventually, after reading thirty-four pages, Tatsumi stopped reading for a second and averted his attention towards the balcony. He didn't know for sure what he felt, but he had felt like someone's presence had appeared and then quickly disappear into thin air.

This was strange, but instead of staring at the balcony doors any longer, Tatsumi simply diverted his attention back towards the book in his hands. After all, it wasn't like he could go check it out, he was trapped in a cage, and there was only one person who had the key to free him, and that was Esdeath, who would give it to Wave when she wasn't able to bring him his food herself.

After reading a page and a half, Tatsumi was once again distracted by the presence he had felt and averted his attention back towards the balcony except this time there were multiple things different from when he first glanced at the doors.

One of these things, and the main thing that was different from before was that there was now a man standing in the doorway. He had a brown hooded jacket that obscured his facial features, but Tatsumi could tell by his size that they were a male. The intruder also wore white pants and black boots.

"Heh, you had noticed my presence earlier, didn't you?" The invader asked Tatsumi. They had sounded more amused than annoyed which made Tatsumi wonder if he had purposefully revealed himself to him.

Nonetheless, Tatsumi answered the question.

"Yes."

At this, the unknown man let loose a laugh, and said, "As expected of the Ice Queen's lover."

"Who are you, and is there a reason why you're here?" Tatsumi questioned as his gaze sharpened. He had never met this man before, but Tatsumi knew he wouldn't have sneaked into Esdeath's room unless they were insane or had business with him.

"Of course, I heard that you're no longer in love with the Ice Queen, and you want to be free from this cell, am I right?" The man stated with a grin that was hidden underneath his hood.

"... Who are you?" Tatsumi asked suspiciously, he didn't think Esdeath was one to tell others about the problems she was having with him, and he doubted the Jaegers know what's going on between the two of them, so he wanted to know this man's identity. As well as how he came by this information.

"Nuh-uh, I'm the one asking you a question, and it's a yes or no answer." The man stated with a wag of his finger.

Tatsumi was quiet. He couldn't trust this man, and was positive he was plotting something sinister.

"No one likes being trapped in a cell, but I don't trust you, so no I don't want to be freed from this cell, at least from the likes of you." He answered after a minute of being silent.

At this, the man released a sigh.

"That's a shame, I was hoping you would have agreed, but-" The stranger said before suddenly pausing.

Tatsumi knew the reason why he had stopped talking, but before he could say anything to the man, he fled the room through the balcony, not even bothering to close the balcony doors as he did so.

He had wondered if the intruder planned on climbing down, but to his surprise, the man had jumped off the balcony. Not long after he did this, did the door to Esdeath's room open.

Averting his attention to the entrance, Tatsumi saw Esdeath march into the room with a determined look, which made him wonder if she had detected the stranger's presence before he bolted out of the apartment.

However, to his surprise, she didn't say anything about the intruder, for upon seeing Tatsumi's face, Esdeath's expression changed, and she said in a loving voice. "Tatsumi."

Tatsumi said nothing in response, but knew that something wasn't right. The way she had said his name wasn't the usual way she said it, for it had sounded slurred, which was odd for she had never spoken in a slurred manner before.

Assuming the possibility that Esdeath might be drunk for some odd reason, Tatsumi took a deep gulp and prepared for what's to come.

* * *

 **(Revan AN): Alright, so I had written about 2k+ before, but I wasn't content with that stuff and made this in like under 2 hours, now I could have gone down with that work, but I felt the characters changed tremendously in that version, and instead of using it, I was hit with another idea, and this is where we got. Now, as for the reason why this is short, it's because I'd say I'm considering this a preview of what's to come? Yeah, I'd say that, and because I need to get something out there. Anyways, next chapter will be around 5k+ words and if it isn't, then um... Idk, flame me?**


	42. Chasing The Fight Part II

**(Revan's AN): I apologize for a short chapter, but everything will be explained in the AN at the end.**

 **Full Summary:** Tatsumi Seika, the second son of Kaito Seika, was a rebellious child. Unlike his siblings, he didn't care about the duties of a prince, and after being told that he was going to marry some noblewoman, he ran away from home. Now, after five years of being away, Tatsumi has finally returned.

 **Non-canon, single-pairing, OOC Characters.**

* * *

 _"Flashbacks" -_ **Thinking**

"Flashbacks" - _**Talking**_

 _[Flashbacks]_ **\- Letters or Reports.**

 **Theme Song: Point Of No Return, by Starset.**

 **Main Writer:** Revan the Edgelord

 **Co-Writer:** None.

* * *

Tatsumi had a troubled look written on his face as he laid on his side with his hands in front of him.

He was no longer clothed, but he wasn't laying down on his bed, he was currently laying down on Esdeath's bed with her arms wrapped tightly around his waist making it impossible for him to get up.

"How did it get to this again?" He asked himself as he continued to lay there.

* * *

 _ **[35 Minutes Ago]**_

After Esdeath spoke his name, she started to approach the cell. The way she had walked appeared to be normal, but it looked like she was trying and not just walking normally.

"Esdeath... Are you alright?" Tatsumi questioned with uncertainty as the guards closed the doors behind her since she had forgotten to close them. He wasn't sure what she'd do for he had never seen her like this before, but for once, he was glad to be trapped inside of his cell.

"I'm fine." She answered, her response slurred and slow. "I just had a little bit too much to drink."

Tatsumi frowned upon hearing this as well as raised an eyebrow. He had seen her drink an entire pitcher of wine before, and not even get tipsy from it, so hearing this made him wonder what she had to drink and what she meant by a little too much.

Upon reaching the cell's door and bars, Esdeath was unable to reach Tatsumi due to them blocking her path.

"Wha-Mmm." Esdeath started before trying to reach him by extending her hand in between one of the bars, but still was unable to due to the distance between them.

Seeing her lover so far from her, Esdeath said in a somewhat authoritative tone. "Tatsumi, come here."

"I'd prefer not to." He denied with a tiny trace of amusement in his voice. While he was still concerned about the possibility of her doing something to him, Tatsumi couldn't help from finding her struggle to reach him funny.

"W-Why not?" She asked in a taken back manner that would have been seen as cute had Tatsumi not known anything about her.

"Well, I don't want to." He said after a while with a small shrug of his shoulders. He didn't know what she'd do to him, but he was starting to get an idea, and he didn't like that idea.

"Mmm, but I want to show you my love!" She declared as she continued to try reaching him with her arm, but was unsuccessful because of her body.

Tatsumi said nothing, but was starting to wonder if he could use this situation to his benefit. He had seen drunk people in the past do stupid things, but because it was Esdeath, he wasn't sure if she'd do anything stupid.

However, to his surprise, Esdeath started to do something he didn't expect her to do at all, and that was freeze the bar she was holding.

He didn't know if she was purposely freezing the bar she was holding onto with her hand that wasn't trying to reach him or if she was doing this on accident, but what he did know was that the bar soon became covered in ice, and it didn't take long before all of it was encased in ice.

"Tatsumi, I love you!" She said happily as her grip on the ice-coated bar tightened, which had caused it to start cracking due to her sheer strength and urge to get to him.

Tatsumi was speechless and couldn't say anything, and simply watched as the bar shattered.

Once it had shattered, Esdeath was able to squeeze into the small room, and let loose a giggle as she began to approach him. "You've been very cold to me lately, so I'm going to have to punish you."

Tatsumi didn't respond. He had heard what she said, but he was more focused on something else, and that was his chance of escaping. If he could subdue Esdeath, then he could escape the palace. Of course, it'd still be difficult, but his chances of succeeding would be ten times higher with her out of the picture.

Another thought had crossed his mind as well, but he had to put that thought away, for as soon as it appeared, Esdeath leapt towards him.

Even though she was drunk, Esdeath was still surprisingly agile, but because he didn't account for her insanely good agility she was able to wrap her arms around his neck and tackle him down onto the bed that was behind him.

Upon them crashing down onto the bed, and the sound of a spring or two breaking, Esdeath said triumphantly. "Hehe, I caught you, Tatsumi!"

However, despite her saying this, Tatsumi wasn't going to let it end here. He had a chance at freedom again, a chance to possibly end her life, so he was going to take it.

Placing his hands on her arms, Tatsumi started to try freeing himself from her grasp when all of a sudden, she said, "You know I'd do anything for you, right Tatsumi?"

"What?" He said aloud out of shock. Her voice wasn't slurred like before. Instead, it was much more serious and firm.

"If you wanted me to destroy this world, I would do it for you. I'd do anything you'd ask me if it means keeping you at my side." Esdeath stated as she continued to hold him very tightly making it seem like if she let him go, she'd lose him.

Tatsumi didn't know what to think after hearing this. A part of him had thought she was making a joke, but then quickly remembered that she doesn't make jokes, and is almost always serious.

"I can't believe you." Tatsumi said with sadness in his voice, which caused Esdeath to pull herself away from him and look at him. "You've always said that it'd be me who would change, not you. I don't think you'd change for me. Even if it meant saving my life, I don't think you'd do that."

"I would." She affirmed as she gently placed her left hand on his cheek and made him look at her. "I love you, your the only one who matters, and the only one for me. If I have to throw my pride away to keep myself from becoming lonely again, then I will."

Tatsumi stared at her and watched as her face slowly inched forward, he could smell the alcohol in her breath, but he didn't pull away. No, instead he had slowly closed his eyes along with her and allowed their lips to connect with one another.

At first, the kiss was a gentle and passionate one, neither side was being forceful, but as seconds passed, their kissing started to become more aggressive.

It was at this moment that Tatsumi broke the promise he made to himself and allowed himself to love Esdeath one last time.

* * *

After that first long kiss, one thing led to another, and eventually, they had wounded up onto Esdeath's bed. It wasn't until after they had sex where Tatsumi had realized that he had made a grave mistake, and that he shouldn't let that lust/love that he once had for her take control, but he had also realized that this had given him an opportunity.

He was no longer in his cell, and Esdeath is asleep. All he had to do now was free himself from Esdeath's grasp, and then he could escape. While he had thought about what she had said, Tatsumi knew deep down that she wouldn't actually change. Sure, she had said she would, and said that she meant it, but after spending months with her, he couldn't trust her.

It was a little saddening to him, and a part of him did say that he should give her this last chance, but he knew that if he opened up his heart again for her, then he'd never come back from that path. His days as a free man would come to an end along with everything else he loved, and cherished.

Releasing a sigh, Tatsumi said in a low tone that was loud enough to reach her ears. "Hey, Esdeath?"

"Mmm." Came a moan in response after a few seconds.

"I need to use the bathroom, you mind letting me go?" He requested as he started to rub her hands that were keeping him from moving away from her. He had doubted that she'd let him go, but to his surprise, she did.

"Be quick." Were the words that left her mouth upon letting go of him.

"I will be." Tatsumi replied before getting out of bed. The thought of him possibly ending her life had crossed his mind, but there weren't any weapons in the room, and Esdeath didn't have her rapier on her upon returning to the bedroom, so he was going to prioritize escaping. The thought of trying to suffocate her with a pillow had also crossed his mind, but he wasn't feeling confident in that.

Suffocation takes too long, and Esdeath was stronger than him, and because she could form ice out of thin air, there was the chance she could impale him, so it was better to take his chance to escape.

After entering the bathroom, Tatsumi entered the shower and turned it on before quickly exiting it and leaving the bathroom. His plan was to use the running water to mask any sounds he'll make while equipping his clothes and scavenging the room for something to defend himself.

It wasn't the greatest plan he had, but it was the only plan he could think of at the moment that might actually work. Not to mention, he couldn't exactly be picky in this situation.

Once he got ahold of his standard attire, Tatsumi returned to the bathroom and began to put on his clothes. It had taken him about three minutes, but eventually, he finished putting everything on including his boots. He had yet to don his mask, but planned on doing so once he started his escape, but for now, he wasn't going to wear it.

After finishing putting on his clothes, Tatsumi exited the bathroom a final time, and began to quietly search the room for a possible weapon to use before leaving through the balcony.

He didn't even bother looking back at Esdeath, nor did he even bother writing a goodbye letter, he just left her without saying anything to her.

* * *

Upon awakening from her slumber, Esdeath could tell something was wrong.

She didn't know what was wrong, but nonetheless, she knew something wasn't right.

Sitting up straight, Esdeath scanned the room but to her fear, there were no signs of Tatsumi, the room was completely empty.

She could hear that the shower was running, but she didn't feel anyone's presence besides the guards that stood outside of her room. She didn't feel _his_ presence.

"Tatsumi?" Esdeath said aloud in a voice that was filled with curiosity and insecurity as she got out of bed. "Tatsumi, if you're here please answer me."

She didn't demand this from him, and feared that she was going to get silence in response, but she hoped that she'd get a response from him. She hoped that he would say something, and that he had just been able to hide his presence, but to her fear, no one spoke to her.

"Tatsumi, this isn't funny, answer me when I'm talking to you." Esdeath said with a bit more urgency as she approached the bathroom. She doubted he was in there, but a small portion of her hoped that he was in the bathroom showering, and that he couldn't hear her because of the running water.

Unfortunately, upon entering the bathroom, Esdeath saw the shower door open, and no one in it, much to her dismay.

"You're not here..." She whispered to herself as she took a few steps back out of the bathroom due to the shock and horror. "You're not in your cell, your not in my bed, and you're not in the bathroom, so where are you, Tatsumi?"

Esdeath had managed to recall today's events, and she remembered being embraced by Tatsumi, so she was curious as to why she couldn't find him. However, this curiosity and confusion she had soon turned to anger and rage.

"I show you love and care, and this is how you repay me? By leaving me without saying a word to me!" Esdeath said before suddenly shouting the last part. It wasn't long after she declared this that atmosphere around her began to change. The room became colder, and the ground started to slowly become covered in frost.

"I've saved your life multiple times, and this is the thanks I get! I've done everything I possibly could for you, and instead of appreciating what you have, you leave me! You abandon me!" Esdeath yelled as the atmosphere continued to drop drastically.

"No, I won't allow this! You're still here, I know it! I'll find you, and then I'll make you see. I'll make you understand everything, and then..."

"...Then you'll never leave me again."

* * *

 **(Revan's AN): Okie, I know, and I know. You're all probably wondering why I have such a small chapter length even though I said the next one will be long or something like that. Well, it's because I've been busy IRL. I got work to deal with, Girlfriend that I have to spend time with or would like to spend time with, and some small family stuff. Usually, I wouldn't have a problem writing, but because I've just been so busy, and what not, I can't devote what free time I have to writing, I'm sorry, but when I get home I'm just like, "I don't wanna write, I just wanna read some mangas or play some video games."  
**

 **It sucks, I know, but I'm only human. I know I could just take longer on the chapter, but if I took any longer, then you'll most likely be waiting months, so I had to get another thing out. I apologize once again for the length, but please understand that I can't devote all my time to writing a story. With that said, I do hope yall enjoy this chapter, and I hope to see all in the continuation chapter.**


	43. Important Information

**Alright, so I had to delete some chapters, for I had to take some steps back. It was either I did this, or I just never update. I have tried to write chapter 45 multiple times, but I just couldn't and even after consulting with my beta multiple times, I asked her if it was better to just go back a couple of steps, and they said, yes. If it meant continuing the story, then it was better to delete chapters forty-three and forty-four. I apologize for those who had enjoyed those chapters, but please understand that I had driven myself into a corner and I couldn't write anything. I tried my best, I really did, but I was unable to make a chapter 45. With that said, I'm going to go now. Once again, I apologize for a delay, but this one was an actual serious issue.**


End file.
